The Final Chapter
by Chibiyu
Summary: "Please…Please help us…Save us from him, from our creator…he is killing us and in turn, you brave knights, will fall to his wraith as well. In this world, Blood is not thicker than Water." Full Inside -JONAS-
1. It all Begins

**Chibiyu: **_Wow…I was reading Silvereyed angles' "Dancing on Water" and thinking about her Fireball story and BAM! Inspiration! Thank you Silver for giving me this inspiration but I also curse you for making me need to add another story to my growing list. But I still love you! _

**Nick: **_I have a bad feeling…but that is normal when Chibiyu has inspiration. _

**Chibiyu: **_Oh hush, __this isn't all about you Nick__. This is a different kind of story and it is fantasy and it is so much better than the summary because I am not that good at writing summaries. _

_**The Final Chapter**_

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**Summary: **What people fail to see is that we each have our own world; we just need to find the entrance to it…but the exit is not nearly as easy to find. When one of the three brothers stumbles into his own world, answering a plea for help, the other two are left speechless at his vanishing until a strange girl appears to them and tells them of a great danger and their own brother is the cause. But what can be done when a pure heart enters darkness and his world follows with him? "Please…Please help us…Save us from him, from our creator…he is killing us and in turn, you brave knights, will fall to his wraith as well. In this world, Blood is not thicker than Water."

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_NICK'S POV_

_ It is strange to me how quickly a day can go by but how slow a night will fade. Maybe it is the silence that enshrouds the whole sunless portion of the world, or maybe the fault lies with myself, and how all of my thoughts race at night, analyzing everything that had happened in the day, correcting any mistakes I may have made, or just simply dawdling on a simple fact, like a song. But whatever the reason was, my nights passed slowly while Joe's and Kevin's raced on in sleep. In that way, I envied them…but I also envied them for more. _

_Joe had his looks that made girls swoon and fans go crazy at the mere sight of him. His voice far surpassed mine, for one thing because he didn't sound like a girl on steroids, and he was always the center of attention, on ad off stage. Kevin, I envied because he had found love while all I had found was a broken heart. Kevin's guitar skills were so much better than mine and he was all smiles, which always drew the girls to him as well. Me? Well yeah, I was the genius behind the songs, but nothing more. _

_I supposed it was wrong because I knew we were all loved in some way by our family, friends and fans, and to envy my brother's was normal, but not to this level. I only just started noticing the difference in respect we each were given by everyone, even Macy treated me differently, which I was ok with because she didn't maul me everywhere I went, but still…was I not worth it? _

Of course you are Nick. Don't think you are not. _But it was becoming difficult to believe my own words. I had so much on my shoulders right now and so much on my mind, I wondered, if even for a second, my brother's would ask to help alleviate the unknown burden. But no…I was too good at hiding my woes. So I suppose, all of this is my fault. _

_I rolled over and starred at the window I was facing, looking but not really seeing. When had this started? Three months ago, with Stella. _

_** -FLASHBACK-**_

_**I watched Stella and Joe laugh at something Joe said while I was sitting quietly in the corner, just doing my Biology homework and minding my own business. They still didn't know I was here in the room; I was good at blending and becoming invisible, giving them a private moment. **_

"_**Hey Stells, I'm going to go get a drink, want anything?" Joe asked and I heard Stella say no and as soon as Joe was out of earshot, her phone rang and she answered. **_

"_**Hey Mace! Yeah I am at Joe's helping him with his homework. Wait…what? Why do you care what I think about Nick?" She asked and I looked up at the sound of my name, my pencil pausing in the air. Stella's back as turned to me as she listened to Macy speak. "Mace, he isn't a god or anything. Yes he plays a lot of instruments and sings and yes he writes the songs but other than that…" She trailed off and turned, dripping her phone as her gaze met mine. "Nick…I…" But I never gave her the chance to answer. I just stood up, leaving my homework and walked away, not wanting to hear her false apology. **_

_** -END FLASHBACK-**_

_Ever since that moment, Stella and Macy both have been distant from me and it wasn't my fault. Joe and Kevin were completely oblivious to what I endured in school, all of the insults and demeaning comments, always comparing me to them and how they would always be better. _ _I sat up and grabbed my song notebook and wrote down the loneliness I felt in a song and sighed, laying back down, forcing my thoughts to stop cold so I could finally fall asleep. _

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_JOE'S POV_

Nick seemed…off today…then again…he's been off for awhile now but he always dodges the questions, with legit excuses like, 'I can't talk Joe, I have to write four new songs for the CD' or 'I can't talk right now bro, Dad wants me to setup an interview as a follow up to my solo project.' Sometimes I wondered if Nick was biting off more than he can chew, but this is Nick I am talking about, and he can get through anything.

We walked into school like normal, Stella holding my hand and Macy walking silently next to Nick, not even glancing his way and Stella ignored him too. Ok…was this the first time this had happened? But Nick seemed oblivious to that fact as he opened him locker and put away books and pulled out a few notes, probably love notes from fans like Kevin and I always get, before walking away without saying a word to us. Odd. Note to self; bug Nick about this later.

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_NICK'S POV_

_ I sat in my first hour desk, reading the notes of hate, which Joe always thought were love letters. Basically they all said the same thing; _Your brothers are so much better than you, drop out of the band and leave for good; no one wants you any more. _I sighed and crumpled them up before tossing them in the waste basket. This was routine for me now but they were wrong, my brother's still wanted me. _

_I watched them walk into the room and I smiled at them and they looked oddly at me and my smile faded. What did I do now?_

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_KEVIN'S POV-MINUTES BEFORE ABOVE_

"Joe, Kevin!" Some guy shouted and we looked over to him. "Hi I am Henry Mans, Student Council President!" He said happily and we smiled at his enthusiasm.

"Hi Henry." He both greeted and he smiled at us and looked around.

"No Nick? Good, glad to see you finally ditched that loser. Never did have your talent. Anywho, I was wondering if I could have a word for the school newspaper. The question is why do you two still allow Nick to be seen with you? I mean come on, it's obvious he doesn't have a shred of talent besides song writing and even that his melodies are off and his voice sounds more like a girl on steroids." He finished, oblivious to our rising anger. He stopped and looked at us in expectation, a notebook in hand.

"What did you say about your brother runt?" Joe snapped, taking a slow threatening step towards Henry, whose smile faltered.

"Haven't…haven't you noticed?" Henry asked, looking frantically between Joe and me. "The whole school is…is ag-against your brother and we…we all thought you were too…that is was j-just and a-act." He stuttered pathetically.

"Well then Henry, write this down." I snarled. "Write down that without Nick, JONAS would be nothing, Joe and I would be nothing. He is our brother and we will stop this now! He is NOT useless like you have implied and he has more talent than anyone in this school. If I ever hear you or anyone talking about my brother like that again…well…take that anyway you want." I snarled, pulling Joe along and into the classroom, both of us boiling and anger. We looked over to Nick who smiled in greeting at us but his smile faltered when he caught our gazes and he blinked before looking down again. Why didn't he tell us? Why did he keep this to himself?

"Nick?" Joe asked, sliding down in his normal seat next to our brother and Nick looked at him, his face unreadable.

"Yeah Joe?" Joe looked Nick straight in the eye and for some reason hesitated.

"Nothing."

I turned to Joe in confusion and looked to Nick myself and met his gaze and I instantly understood why Joe did not want to confront Nick about it right now. The emotions Nick's eyes were not what I was used to seeing, they were conflicting in pain and nothing. His eyes seemed…dead. And school was not the best place to talk about this, not one minute before the bell.

"Hey Nick?" I said and he turned, the look in his eyes gone and I sighed, hating how he hid his emotions so well; he could be dying and we wouldn't know it. "We are here for ya man." I said, patting his shoulder and he looked confused but nodded before looking away.

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_NICK'S POV_

_ Sure, now they were here for me. When the whole school is against me for two months and now they are here for me. Why don't I believe that? They should have seen this all, I shouldn't have to say a thing about it, they should have known! But I don't even know why everyone hates me, I don't know a thing! And that is what is killing me. Three months ago I was loving life and now I am barely living it. What in the name of Mike happened? I wandered to my second hour and on my desk was the newest edition of the school newspaper, the main article circled in highlighter. What could this be now? _

_**Joe and Kevin Lucas Reveal True feelings for 'Brother'**_

_What?_

'_**Henry Mans got insight of what Joe and Kevin think of their oh so 'dear brother' Nick Lucas. **_

_Dare I read more? I had to…this would prove if they were really with me. _

_**Joe Lucas of the popular group JONAS told me, Henry, and I quote, "Our so called Brother Nicholas is kind of a drag. His lyrics are getting the same and more dull and his playing is always off beat. He is our brother, unfortunately for us, and we have tried to change him so he is…likeable…but…as you all can see…nothing we do is working."**_

_**I turned to Kevin for a comment and he was ready to give, comforting Joe all the while for their failure on Nick. "Nick is…boring and dull. He is way too serious and if our dad would let us, he would be out of the band. We don't need him anymore." **_

_I couldn't go on. I dropped the newspaper and walked outside the classroom. If they didn't want me, I wouldn't stay. I took deep breaths as I left the school grounds and walked in the field next to our school as a short cut to go home. Thank goodness Mom and Dad were both out until late and Frankie was at school, it would make sneaking away so muck easier. I pulled my guitar higher on my back and slowed my pace. _

"Please…someone help!" _A young girl's voice called and I stopped, looking around, feeling the wind pick up, and the knee length grass tickling my hand. I started walking again, a heavy feeling settling on my stomach and the back of my neck prickling like I was being watched. I stopped again and turned and almost screamed. The field behind me did not exist anymore but I looked back over my shoulder and there is was, windy and normal. What was going on? _"Help! Please, oh creator, please help us! The Darkness is growing! We need you Nick!" _The girl screamed again and I looked back into the hole in reality, as I choose to call it and saw an amazing land but a dark cloud was descending rapidly. _"Please Nick! Help!" _She screamed again, her voice close towards desperation and hysteria. I looked back over my shoulder to the world I was not wanted in and turned back, taking a deep breath and walking into the hole without a second thought, and everything around me faded to black. _

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**Chibiyu: **_Ok yes this prologue is Nick centric, but it won't be for most of the story. This time, all three of the brothers will play roles in my torture and it won't be all centered around Nicholas. I ask for three reviews, so I know people are interested in this story, though if I get less I probably will update anyway. Until Next Update!_

I need to stop writing so much, but Nightmare is almost done so that will make things easier.


	2. It all Ends

**Chibiyu: **_Awesome Chibi powers activate!_

**Nick: **_…I think Chibi has officially gone insane…_

**Chibiyu: **_No, I live in Crazy, right in front of Insanity and in between living free and dying a weirdo. :~)_

_I NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL OWN JONAS CHARACTERS OR SONGS OR ANYTHING BUT THE PLOT AND MY OC'S!!!!!_

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_JOE'S POV_

The sun vanished behind a cloud and the blue sky turned black in a matter of seconds and the bell rang, one, twice, three times; a tornado warning. My class ran into the hall and faced the wall, heads down and hands over head but before I ducked down, I watched Nick's second hour file out and almost yelled out in worry when I saw Nick wasn't with them. That was when I saw Henry and his group laughing and starring at me like they won the lottery. _What did they do? _I wanted to run up to him and force him against the wall until he told me where Nick was, but now, I couldn't, I was too worried about the weird weather change and the tornado and Nick to care about Henry and his little gang.

The school's power went out a girls screamed and Stella pressed herself closer to me and I held her tightly, still in the position, technically. Thunder boomed, a thousand times louder than Nick on the drums, and lightening flashed the whole school briefly white. Rain pounded above our heads, sounding more like falling hammers than water, and all the time, my thoughts went to Nick. I looked over my shoulder to see Kevin holding Macy and looking at me with concern; he noticed too. He eyes plainly asked where Nick was but I shook my head and ducked down as the whole school seemed to shudder from the wind relentlessly nailing the outside walls. _Please be ok little bro. _

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_NICK'S POV_

_Black faded to the colors of fire and crisp air entered my nose and I immediately associated it with Fall. I opened my eyes slowly, not even realizing I had closed them, and gasped out in shock and awe. I pinched myself to make sure this was real and to my pleasant surprise, it was. I stood on a leaf covered path, surrounded by tall trees, their leaves red, orange, and gold, whispering to me in welcome. In the clear horizon was a small white city and in the center, a small but glorious castle. Where…where am I? How is this real?_

"It is real because you are." _The same voice of a girl sounded and I looked around, feeling no fear, but rather unease. A golden cat with black tipped ears and tail with piercing honey brown eyes jumped from a tree and landed in front of me and I marveled in its larger than normal size, but it was still small enough to be classified as a cat. _"Welcome King Nick, to Riptide."

_I starred at the cat, not processing what it had said, but the fact it had spoken in the first place. Did someone drug me or something, because there was no way this was real._

_The cat giggled, more like a tittering sound than a meow. _"I am not only a cat, only in this world my King." _The cat stood and looked to the horizon, to the city. _"My name is Katja (_cat-ya_) and I am this world protector, in a way. I guide it when its king is absent, and you have been absent for many a moon cycle, young Nick." _She starred at my in disproving. Can cats do that?_

_I blinked, realizing she wanted an answer. _"I'm sorry? I didn't exactly know this world, Riptide, existed!" _I exclaimed and the cat smiled, another oddity. _

"No one but you and I know of the other worlds either." _She almost seemed sad about that fact. _"King Nick, before you enter your city and take your crown, you must know that this world is unique, just as you are unique. Everyone in your world, the human realm, has their own world created from their hopes, dreams...and despair. Yours is this one, it is everything you've wanted and everything you've ever relished in; it is, in every sense, you." _She explained, standing and walking over to me. _"I know of many worlds and each has names to describe them, some change, some stay the same. For as long as this world has lived, it has been Riptide, or turmoil and change and force, and I know you will find the answer as to why."

_Yes, I knew why. I always covered, bottled and hid my emotions, forcing them away until I couldn't take it and I let it go alone. It caused a riptide of emotions in my own heart, which, I guess, in turn affected this world as well as my home. _

"The Darkness," _Katja continued, _"It has descended twelve moons ago, and can you think what happened twelve cycles ago?" _Twelve months? I looked to the cat in confusion and she suddenly understood._ "Of course. Time must move faster in this world than your own. Here the nights are shorter than your and people require less sleep and get more work done in the daylight. Of course."

_Ok…seriously….am I high or something? Katja turned behind me and I looked back to see my own world, the sky black and wind tearing through the grass, making it look more like waves than ground. _

"Do you want to go back; I can't keep the entrance open much longer without destroying your world." _Katja asked and I thought to how everyone, even my own brothers wished I was gone and this was a way to be gone. I shook my head and I watched my last link to my home, my old home, fade until all that existed was my own world. _

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_KEVIN'S POV_

Ok, the weatherman said sunny and clear all day, what was this? Where was Nick? Did Nick's disappearance have to do with the weather? Girls screamed again as a window from a closed classroom burst open and we all heard the bang and the shattering tink of glass against the tiled floor.

"We're gonna die!" Someone shouted as another window burst open and the roar of the wind lions scratched at our eardrums. My girls were crying and I felt Macy shaking but she let no ounce of fear show on her face as her eyes were pressed closed and lips moving in a soundless prayer. I did the same, praying for the school's safety and that Nick would be ok and found.

And then, silence. The lights flickered back on and students shouted out in joy and confusion. Sunlight filtered through the windows to the now blue skies and teachers were in a panicked frenzy, telling for us to go home quickly and stay inside while the coast was clear. Only one man, the principal looked calm as he stepped over to Kevin and I, who were standing and making sure Stella and Macy were alright.

"Mr. Lucas, Mr. Lucas, a word please." He led us to his office door and the halls were now deserted and he looked at us and to Stella and Macy who were at the end of the hall, not even looking at us but waiting for our return. "Your brother, Nicholas, was not in his second hour and yet, he was in his first. Where is he?"

I looked to Joe to see him looking back at me in terror. Nick hadn't…then where? We looked back to the principle and he waved us off, saying to find Nick and there would be no harm done because he was the best student in the entire school…that was an ego decrease for me. We ran to my car and I drove home, Joe keeping a lookout for any signs of odd weather and Nick because he wasn't answering his cell phone or the home number. Nick, where are you?

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_NICK'S POV_

"King Nick, you do not believe me and yet the evidence is right in front of you." _Katja stated and I nodded, I was the logical and this was illogical…but strangely…I could have it...A whole world…one where I made, where I belonged…where I wouldn't be put down by the ones I thought were my brothers. The air chilled but I did not notice and Katja bared her teeth. I was just as freaking good as they were, there would be no JONAS without me, or perhaps they've forgotten that without me, they would be nameless nobodies. Now, in my world, all of them will be nameless nobodies, fading from my memory as I am actually treated like a King…oh, if they could see me now…_"My King!!" _Katja shouted and I looked up at her in surprise as I finally realized the new level of chill in the air, how the leaves colors turned muted, not black or grey, but dimmed, and as the sun seemed to pass behind an unseen cloud. A growl came from the bushes by Katja, who hissed lowly, her fur on her spine standing up straight. Did I do this?_

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_JOE'S POV_

No sign of Nick anywhere…what could this mean? Could he have just got frustrated and walked home and didn't want to talk, could he have gotten caught in that storm? Could he have been kidnapped? No Joe…calm down…Nick probably got caught in another part of the school when the freak storm hit and got a ride home when he saw we weren't here. Great…he would be livid thinking we ditched him…crap. We got home after I voiced my idea to Kevin and he seemed relieved but also like he knew that wasn't what happened…and I agreed with him.

We entered the empty house and ran upstairs, noting how there were no messages, other than mine, on the answering machine and no note on the counter. There was no music coming from upstairs like there normally was when Nick was upset, all there was, was silence. We bolted upstairs, jumping steps, taking them three at a time and when I got upstairs, Kevin pushed me behind him and I expected to see someone…Nick's kidnapper…waiting for us.

"Who are you?" Kevin sharply asked and I peeked over his shoulder and saw what I was not expecting. It was a teenage girl, around 15, brown curly hair with golden brown highlights and her very front curls pulled back and braided. She was three inches shorter than me, from where she stood and her brown eyes looked wise, mature, and distressed. I noted that she was very pretty and I might have a shot at her.

"Joseph, Kevin, I am called Katja, but that is not who I be." The girl spoke, and I couldn't place her accent, it was a mix between English and something foreign, something unheard before. "I with news that you will l not like to hear and will most definitely never believe. It revolves around your brother, Ki-Nicholas." I narrowed my eyes at her stumble over my brother's name.

"You don't seem confident when you stumble over his name." I told her, coming out from behind Kevin.

She smiled small. "Tis' true, I almost called him what I have been calling him for years, even before my eyes befell upon him. I almost called him by what he is to me, to my friends, my family, and his people. I almost called him King." She said, looking lightly at us, truth in her eyes but disbelief in mine. Nick was not a King, this girl had issues.

"Why are you here?" Kevin harshly asked and her smile faded, not at his tone, but at the reminder. She looked to her feet and her hand went to her neck where she pulled out a silver chain, something I knew very well; Nick's dog tag. "Where did you get that?" She fingered it and tossed it to us and I caught it and made sure it was Nicks and it was; it even had the scratch I had accidently made on it.

"Nick gave it to me as proof for you. Also…" She pulled a single fiery red leaf from her pocket and let if float from her hand to the ground and on its way down, the edges sparkled gold and it seemed to burst in flames, but that was not the case; instead of flames, a hologram of Nick came in view. "King Nick, I shall give you privacy. Yell when you want to disconnect." She said, bowing slightly to Nick and he smiled, genuinely smiled at her.

"I like that form Katja, but it's different than what I am used too." He told her and the girl laughed before waltzing off and he rolled his eyes, his gaze darkening as it went to ours and he crossed his arms. I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off. "Before you speak and befoul the air," He started a new accent apparent in his cold voice, "I yearn for you to see that I am not leaving. I left that world for mine, you for solitude, and you my brothers, will nary find me." He paused his eyes not softening as he looked away from us and I took this as an indication to speak but he suddenly turned to face something unseen in the hologram and he sighed, pulling a dagger swiftly from the side of his belt and hurling at the unseen and he turned back without a second thought about what he had just done. "Well, speak your disagreements." He ordered with a bored tone and I just starred shocked at the change Nick had gone through in one hour.

"Nick? Is…is that really you? What happened to you?" Kevin said suddenly and Nick looked to him, eyebrows raised.

"It is I." Nick confirmed, giving us a look we knew very well, one of forced patience. "Katja gave you my trinket?" I pulled it out and showed it to him and nodded. "As to what happened to me…" He smiled, looking off at something unseen again, "I found where I belong and it is my will to stay."

"Nick, bro look, did this have anything to do with Henry and the gossip we've been too deaf to hear?" I suddenly asked and Nick slowly turned to me and glared.

"You heard of it, but you did not act upon it. How could you have not, the whispers floated through air and slept on ears and traveled when re-said. You did know, but yet, you'd rather be deaf and blind than see the pain I should not have to voice." He retorted so coldly that it stung my very heart and he was right…I think…he was getting harder to understand with each passing minute.

"Where are you?" Kevin asked. "Are you safe?"

Nick chuckled at the last question. "Safe? Please. As to my whereabouts, it is a place you can never find nor enter, it is Riptide." Nick said with flourish, wind picking up wherever he was and leaves blowing at him, never touching his school uniform.

"Nick, please come home." I begged and Nick seemed to find that funny as he laughed and rolled his eyes.

"No." He said and I could tell he was saying this from his free will. He was happy without us…but we would be the selfish brothers we were known to be and bring him back, whether he wants to or not. "Think me selfish to put my happiness above yours, but so be it. These last three months have been living Hell and I am finally free of it." I wanted to hit Nick as he swore so easily…but that wasn't the only thing wrong, he seemed…older. "Believe or not, one twilight here is enough for me to say nay to your petty pleas. Katja, come forth." He summoned and the girl walked forward, inclining her head with a smile and he returned both gestures. "Fare thee well Joe and Kevin, I pray you have happy days." He nodded to Katja and his image faded and the leaf dissipated into dust before we could even say our goodbye. Was he…was he really gone forever?

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**Chibiyu: **_This end was really fun to write. I am getting into a different way of tongue to show differences between Riptide and Earth, aka the human realm. Katja, for the most part, is based off of me. Yes, I tend to speak differently than most people and my accent is a bit torn…but I don't turn into a cat in different realms…or do I? Until Next Update!_


	3. The Final Conversation

**Chibiyu: **_Guys, remember Time on Riptide is faster than on Earth. It is a bit confusing to explain so I will let the three points shy of a genius do it. _

**Nick: **_…ok…Riptide runs a little over thrice as fast as Earth does due to the shorter nights. So what is an hour to Joe and Kevin is more like three or four to me. So in the last chapter, all Kevin and Joe did was run home but in this one, we get to see what I did in those hours before I contacted them. Just remember, time runs differently, faster, in my world. It is confusing but Chibiyu will try and make it as smooth as a transition as possible. _

**Chibiyu: **_Thank you Nick! From now on, I will be putting times at the top of the POV changes in hopes it makes it easier to understand the time warps._ _I never got the three reviews but I wanted to update._

_I NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL OWN JONAS CHARACTERS OR SONGS OR ANYTHING BUT THE PLOT AND MY OC'S!!!!!_

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()**JOE'S POV**_

**"No." He said and I could tell he was saying this from his free will. He was happy without us…but we would be the selfish brothers we were known to be and bring him back, whether he wants to or not. "Think me selfish to put my happiness above yours, but so be it. These last three months have been living Hell and I am finally free of it." I wanted to hit Nick as he swore so easily…but that wasn't the only thing wrong, he seemed…older. "Believe or not, one twilight here is enough for me to say nay to your petty pleas. Katja, come forth." He summoned and the girl walked forward, inclining her head with a smile and he returned both gestures. "Fare thee well Joe and Kevin, I pray you have happy days." He nodded to Katja and his image faded and the leaf dissipated into dust before we could even say our goodbye. Was he…was he really gone forever?**

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_NICK'S POV-Riptide (R) time: 6:43_

_Taking one step back and turning around were never the right options when you are facing the unknown, but right now, they did look pretty good. Katja growled as the bushes rustled again and two dark figures stepped from them, each more shadow than man, no distinguishable marks except for glowing red eyes and long lethal black swords. Katja pounced and attacked, but how long could a cat hold up against two blades? I wanted to help her, but I was defenseless but I had to try. _

"Stay my King! Call for help and help will be received!" _She cried out and I starred, unable to comprehend what she had said. We are miles from the city; no one could possible help us. Katja dodged another sword blow and scratched on the head of the thing, his blood falling like acid, blackening the ground it fell upon. Katja screamed as soon landed on her. No! Please…someone…anyone…_

_"_HELP!" _I screamed out, not intentionally, and like I thought, nothing happened. No please…please someone, anyone, anything, help her. The leaves around my feet lifted up in the sudden wind and I concentrated on them, confused and at the same time…it was like I knew exactly what was going on and what would happen. The leaves all turned to the dark creatures that both stopped, their eyes widening and Katja leapt back to me, not speaking. The fire leaves actually lit on fire and moved forward like arrows and pierced the creatures and they screamed. Birds dived bombed from no where, eagles and hawks, talons extended. I watched in awe and Katja more with smug as the nature itself turned against the shadow things. Did I do this? _

"What…?" _I asked when the shadow's burst into dust particles that drifted away in the sudden wind and the color's instantly becoming vibrant again. _

"You asked for help and help was what was given. You forget King Nick, that you are the creator, the King. If you need help, help shall always been given, even if it's not in the form you expect." _Katja nimbly jumped in front of me, babying her burnt paw but she let no complaint fly from her mouth. _"Except those brutes cannot be defeated by a single plea or thought, they must be annihilated at the source." _She darkly muttered but I heard her and chose not to comment. _

"What were they?" _I inquired as I followed her along the path to the city. _

_She flicked her tail as she continued muttering darkly, what sounded like curses before she sighed and looked to me, still walking. _"They are the darkness in this world; they come from the cloud that shrouds the west side of your world. I cannot tell you more, you must figure out what they are on your own and how they must be destroyed." _She stopped and turned to look at me. _"Your uniform will cause unease in your people, you will not fit. But until we reach your castle my liege, it will do. But you must carry the sword and bow of the king." _She said, jumping on a low tree branch and watching me. _

_I starred up at her in confusion. _"I don't even know how to hold a sword or a bow." _I informed her and she smiled. _

"Well then, the King's Dagger will work nicely for the first entrance, considering both weapons I've mentioned before are locked away in the King's room." _Was she even listening to me? _"Think of the Dagger my King and the leaves will grant it." _What? I looked at her and she flicked her tail, telling me to get a move on. I looked at her knowing my face was full of confusion and she laughed lightly. _"Do as you did when you called for help. Need it. Know it is true. Manipulate your world like you do your thoughts." _She instructed, still smiling slightly. Great, I am being laughed at by a cat, this couldn't get worse._

_I shook my head in disbelief and tried but like I thought, nothing happened. Katja growled at me, her eyes flashing and tail flicking. A mind reading cat…perfect. Fine, I'll stop being skeptical and believe. Katja smiled and settled down on the branch, looking to the lowering sun. How long have I been here? No Nick, focus on the task at hand, get the Dagger before Katja decides flicking her tail isn't enough. I closed my eyes, feeling stupid, but I took a deep breath and remembered Katja's words; this is my world. _

_I need the Dagger; I know I can get the Dagger. _

_I felt something papery, the leaves, caress my hand and I looked down and almost gasped out in shock as I opened my hand and the leaves flew in and took the shape, color and sheen of a handsome Dagger. Its hilt was pure gold with silver vines and at the end held a dark sapphire, my birthstone. The blade itself was about four or five inches long and all pure silver, sharpened so much that it seemed to cut the very air around it. _

_Katja landed next to me smiled winningly before bounding ahead and screaming in joy. _"All of Riptide rejoice for the Creator hath come home!"

* * *

KEVIN'S POV-Earth (E) Time: 3:20

I looked to the girl, who was starring at us and her perfect posture and unblinking stare reminded me of a cat, and it was possible, I mean our brother just spoke to us from a magical leaf! But she seemed normal, not like she was a druggie or anything, in fact, she was enthusiastic but I could see a Nick like person in her.

"You…make him come back!" Joe screamed at the girl, who turned her unblinking gaze to him, her brown eyes sparkling in amusement.

"I cannot. It is his whim to stay and I cannot change his heart. Nor yet do I see the need." She replied, and I found her way of speaking a mix of the old and new, understandable but different.

Joe hung his head and sat down. "What did we do to lose him? Why won't he come back?"

Katja frowned. "Tis' not my place to tell. But I do believe the answer lies in your mind." She answered seriously, her Nick side shining through.

"It's because we were blind and deaf…we weren't there to help him when he needed it most." I answered and Katja lowered her head.

"Tis' true but not full. The unknown to you is what tore him away." She whispered but we heard her anyway.

"What is unknown to us? Tell us!" Joe stood and grabbed the girl's shirt but she just looked at him sadly, her eyes showing no fear, only regret.

"Tis' a right shame you don't know." She gently said, untangling herself from Joe but not moving away. "I sense a disbelief on your mind and I read it on your lips. What ails you brother of Nick?" She question softly and Joe sighed.

"I don't believe this. I don't believe that Nick would so readily leave us and give in so easily to the ridicule. I don't this at all." Joe grabbed his hair and I stood and held his shoulder sensing danger. "I think you took him and are holding him captive. He. Would. Never. Leave!"

Katja hung her head sadly. "Only believers can see the truth beyond logic and you're head is too far you your butt to see. Believe or not, Nick will need you and the only way to help is to let go of your logic and who you think your brother is and believe." She stated authority in her calm voice. "But if you wish to be ignorant again to your brother's confusion and ache, than I will take my leave. Fare thee well Joe and Kevin, I pray for happy days." She ended, rather coldly, just like Nick did before she started walking away.

I leapt up and away from Joe and followed her. "Wait!" I called, knowing it would take a lot to convince Joe what I already believed in.

"Kevin, I will return, when Joseph is ready to accept what is true. But by then, I fear thou may be too late."

* * *

**_NICK'S POV- _**_R time: 7 pm_

_People surrounded me as the sun sank even lower, kissing the tree line. They sang songs in praise of my name, they worshipped me and I told them to stop, saying I was just an ordinary guy, creator or not. They all smiled and bowed, telling me they would work on it and Katja led the…my people back to the city, which I learned was called Vortex, and suddenly everyone stopped and starred at the sky and Katja landed at my feet. _

"My Liege, this is the time when light and darkness form anew, the time of Riptide's Twilight." _She whispered and the world visibly calmed and everyone became silent as we all watched the sun meet the horizon and sink until it was almost gone and suddenly, the world flashed to colors, the highest being the purest navy blue speckled with stars, sinking and fading all the way from colors of fire to a cotton candy pink and the fading light seemed to embrace the glowing darkness. Calm spread throughout everything, even my own heart and thoughts and the birds sang with the bugs and soon, everyone single person was singing a blessing to the light and dark's cease fire, and I was singing along, the words flowing easier from my lips than water in a stream. After all, this was my world. _

_The moment lasted a minute exactly, not too long or too short, but the perfect moment that would occur each night and be a gift every time. Who could someone as messed us as me create something so beautiful?_

"This twilight marks the first of many a hopeful day." _Katja called over the many heads of my people and they all turned to her and smiled. _"May the stars rejoice and the sun forever sing of this day, for this is the day our King hath come! Hail King Nick!" _She exclaimed, going on her back two paws. _

_The rest of the night was more of a blur than anything. Filled with endless praise and rejoice and we finally got to the city and the crowd dispersed as Katja led me into the castle after I made a small speech, thanking them for waiting for me and welcoming me with open arms. The castle itself was amazing, simple, all of the floors a rich and dark wood, a library with hundreds of books and a room dedicated for music. My room was simple and yet only fit for a king. But the throne room, which was our final destination, was what awed me. Twas' a long room with the same wooden floor but a dark red rug led right up to the simple silver and gold veined throne, the chair itself being made of a slightly lighter wood than the floor and behind the chair was the real source of amazement. _

_A white marble balcony as attached and on it I could see for miles. To the right and front fire seemed to rage in waves as the leaves still rustled in the wind and in the far distance lay a sparkling blue ocean, a mirror for the stars. To my left was the cloud of black nothing. The Darkness. Like a giant hand slowly extending over my kingdom, suffocating it and poisoning it with death. But it wasn't moving at the moment but I knew that meant nothing. I fingered the Dagger which I still held, having long forgotten it. _

"I don't know how to use this." _I called to Katja who was eyeing the dark cloud whilst sitting upon the railing, her tail dangling carelessly off the edge. _

_She sighed. _"Again you forget. If you wish to wield the Dagger…"

"I must believe I can." _I finished, twisting the blade between my fingers and Katja nodded without looking my way. _"Tis' it the same with everything?" _I wondered and again she nodded. _

"But only for you as you are the creator." _She explained quietly before jumping down and I watched her walk over to the throne and sit, watching the doors before looking back at the scenery. This was all so new and yet familiar and welcoming but still…even though they betrayed me…I missed my brothers. _

"Katja?" _I called and I felt her gaze on my neck. _"Would it be possible to contact my brothers?"

_"_It is, but are you ready to face the ones that sent you here?" _She asked and I took a breath but nodded.I removed my dog tag, knowing I would need it not here and gave it to her as proof and she took it, holding it gingerly in her tail. _"I will deliver the leaf to them, wait here my King, watch this blood leaf; it will allow you to see them." _She bound off, leaving a red leaf on the floor, inches from me and I sighed. Was I really ready for this? _

We tried to change him…he is useless…your brother's don't need you…

_I was ready…but not to be mister nice…I was ready to shatter them as they did me. _

_The blood leaf edges glowed the color of gold and Joe and Kevin entered my vision, a teen girl, Katja, next to them. _"King Nick, I shall give you privacy. Yell when you want to disconnect." _She said, bowing slightly to me and I smiled at her loyalty and enthusiasm. _

"I like that form Katja, but it's different than what I am used too." _I told her and she laughed before waltzing off and I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms when my gaze met their frightened ones. I saw Joe open his mouth but I wanted the first words. _"Before you speak and befoul the air," _I started, oblivious to my change of dialect, _"I yearn for you to see that I am not leaving. I left that world for mine, you for solitude, and you my brothers, will nary find me." _I turned my gaze to the balcony in front of me as I felt darkness shifting and one shadow man thing materialized, my hand instantly going to the Dagger I knew I could wield. I threw it fast and it pierced the armor of the beast and the dark warrior collapsed and I looked back to my brother's, ignoring their shock. _"Well, speak your disagreements." _I ordered bored knowing they had many a one. _

"Nick? Is…is that really you? What happened to you?" _Kevin said suddenly and I looked to him, eyebrows raised, skeptical. _

"It is I." _I confirmed, giving them my signature look to convince them._ "Katja gave you my trinket?" I _My brother pulled it out and nodded._ "As to what happened to me…" _I smiled, looking back to the view of Riptide,_ "I found where I belong and it is my will to stay."

"Nick, bro look, did this have anything to do with Henry and the gossip we've been too deaf to hear?" _Joe suddenly asked and I turned my gaze slowly to him. _

"You heard of it, but you did not act upon it. How could you have not, the whispers floated through air and slept on ears and traveled when re-said. You did know, but yet, you'd rather be deaf and blind than see the pain I should not have to voice." _I retorted, not caring for the chill in my voice. _

"Where are you?" Kevin asked. "Are you safe?"

_I chuckled at the last question. Sure I was safe considering I landed right in the middle of an unannounced war and I had to carry a Dagger and soon to be sword and bow._ "Safe? Please. As to my whereabouts, it is a place you can never find nor enter, it is Riptide." _I said with flourish, wind picking up around and leaves blowing at my, never touching my school uniform as I demonstrated the skill I had just figured out._

"Nick, please come home." _Joe begged and I found that funny. Yeah sure, come back to where I was unwanted. _

"No. Think me selfish to put my happiness above yours, but so be it. These last three months have been living Hell and I am finally free of it." _I don't know why I swore but it seemed to flow right off of my tongue and frankly, I didn't care anymore. _"Believe or not, one twilight here is enough for me to say nay to your petty pleas. Katja, come forth_." I summoned and she walked forward, inclining her head with a smile and I returned both gestures_. "Fare thee well Joe and Kevin, I pray you have happy days." _I nodded to Katja after saying the formal farewell of Riptide and as soon as the connection ended I had but on thought:_

_What have I done?_

* * *

**Chibiyu: **_This won't be my longest story…I don't think anything I write will best the 27 chapters of Who I Am. Lol, in length, not content. Until Next Update!_


	4. The Final Information

**Chibiyu: **_…By owning Katja, do I own myself?_

**Nick: **_I would hope you own yourself anyway Chib. Oh and I personally want to thank Silver for reviewing…for being the only reviewer…and I still don't forgive you for becoming Chibi's evil sidekick. _

_I NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL OWN JONAS CHARACTERS OR SONGS OR ANYTHING BUT THE PLOT AND MY OC'S!!!!!_

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()**NICK'S POV**_

**"No. Think me selfish to put my happiness above yours, but so be it. These last three months have been living Hell and I am finally free of it." _I don't know why I swore but it seemed to flow right off of my tongue and frankly, I didn't care anymore. _"Believe or not, one twilight here is enough for me to say nay to your petty pleas. Katja, come forth_." I summoned and she walked forward, inclining her head with a smile and I returned both gestures_. "Fare thee well Joe and Kevin, I pray you have happy days." _I nodded to Katja after saying the formal farewell of Riptide and as soon as the connection ended I had but on thought:_**

**_What have I done?_**

* * *

_KATJA'S POV-R TIME 11 PM_

_ Brother tearing apart brothers. The messiest of war and the harshest. And our King was caught in the center while his brother Joseph chose to remain ignorant. I hope the worst will not befall before he believes. And I cannot hold it back for that long, will as I may, I cannot. _

* * *

_JOE'S POV- E TIME- 3:30 pm_

How could I believe that my brother somehow got sucked into an alternate dimension that he just so happened to rule? All of this was baloney! I needed to get to the bottom of this and to do that, the girl was my first target. But she was gone but she would come back…they all came back…I have always wanted to think/say that! NO FOCUS! I looked to Kevin who was searching something on the internet before returning to my own thoughts. What could they want Nick for? Was it for ransom, or his talent, or did he really just leave? How did that leaf do what it did? Why was Nick talking funny? Why did he not want to leave…or did he? Was he forced to say those things? I am so confused…

Katja told me to let go of logic…wait…I had logic in the first place? Note to self; look for my logic. I always thought Nick was the logical one…huh…weird.

FOCUS! Why was I so bad at thinking of one thing for prolonger periods?!?!

* * *

_NICK'S POV- R time-11:03 pm_

_ I knew Katja was watching me as I continued surveying the darkening landscape. I should be joyous, knowing I cut off the prune of the infected tree for good, leaving it to prosper, but I did not feel at all happy…I just felt alone. Katja walked over to me, still in her girl form, I only spared her glance, not bothering for unnecessary conversation to cut the silence of my thoughts. They seemed genuinely concerned and frightened when they should not be; I saw their words, they shouldn't spare a care for me. And yet they seemed to have, unless an act it may be. Yes, that had to be it. I closed my eyes and willed my heart to stop aching but alas, it was never that simple to rid of a broken and confused heart. _

_But none of that mattered now; I cold forget about them if I wanted and live in peace and happiness where I was actually accepted. I didn't need Earth anymore nor did I my brothers. Yeah…I would miss them but in time their names will be but a memory. But until then I shall suffer alone…no I will absorb myself into this world and learn and become the leader these people believe me to be. I don't need heart ache or brothers or anything holding me down. I can this without them. _

"My King, late it be. You face many obstacles tomorrow's sun and I believe turning in is best." _Katja suggested and I nodded, understanding her perfectly though her dialect was not one I was used to but in time, I bet even I would be speaking as such. In time, I wonder if Joe and Kevin would even recognize me if I chose to show myself. _

* * *

_KEVIN'S POV-_E TIME-7 PM-(R TIME 3 AM)

Macy came over after dinner, about three hours after we last spoke to Nick and Joe hasn't spoken since, thought lines inscribed deeply into his forehead. What a weird sight. Macy was talking to me about the storm and thanking me for comforting her when she finally noticed something off.

"Where's Nick and why is Joe thinking?" She asked, looking around in curiosity.

"Well…it's complicated Mace, I can't tell you." I told her and she nodded before standing and walking over to Joe, waving her hand in front of his face, but to no avail.

"Joe, don't make me get Stella." She threatened, not joking at all and Joe grudgingly raised his gaze. "Are you ok?"

Joe rolled his eyes. "No Mace, I am not ok." He curtly answered before turning away; clear he did not want to talk. Macy pursed her lips and walked back over to me, confusion in her eyes.

"Mace, I can't tell you but Nick may not be back for awhile." I informed her and her eyes got real wide in question and understanding. She probably thought Joe and Nick got into a huge fight or something and Nick was cooling off somewhere…well I guess that was kind of true…

* * *

_KATJA'S POV-R TIME 9 am (E TIME 1 am)_

_ King Nick was up and ready, impressive, but it made sense considering no one in Riptide were morning people, excluding myself and him, because the reason he loved mornings is their peace. But peace would not last, I could see that. For as long as war waged in his heart, war raged in Riptide as well as Earth. It was only a matter of time before Joe and Kevin felt it as well. _

* * *

_JOE'S POV-E TIME 9am (R TIME-5 pm)_

School was cancelled toady due to fear over the freak storm thing and the fact over half of its windows were broken. I still didn't believe the nonsense Katja threw at us, if that was her real name, but I was starting to get seriously worried. Nick wasn't coming back

"Joe?" Kevin asked looking up from the internet. "I've been researching what Katja said and there is only one website about a girl who entered her world and left it. You will never guess who it is either." I looked up, attention not really caught but hey, I heard the world girl so I had to listen. "It's J.K Rowling, the Harry Potter author. She described her world just as Harry's but of course everyone on here thinks this is another story and not real. I asked her about it and look what she responded." Kevin tilted me the screen and I saw his email with Ms. Rowling herself answering. Cool.

**To: JKR**

**From: Kevin Jonas**

**Hi Ms. R I read your 'other world' website and I believe you and I don't think this is just another story. I know someone close to me who may or may not have gone into their 'other world' and I don't think he wants to come back. Can you please give me information on these 'other worlds?'**

**To: Kevin**

**From: JKR**

**Hi Kevin, glad to see SOMEONE believes in this. It is crazy, I can tell you that. **

**The 'other world' is a whole different world. Everyone has one, even you. You are the creator of said world and will be treated like royalty if you ever find the entrance. Your friend must have found his. According to the my world's protector, each world is centered around the creator's emotions, dreams, heart and soul. In every way, it is you. The door to the world only opens when you find that you don't belong in one world anymore or if you believe hard enough. I can't tell you much, but what do you need to know?**

**To: JKR**

**From: Kevin**

**Thank you! Just a few more questions. **

**You mentioned the world is 'me.' How? Is there any way to enter another person's world? What happens when they go into their world? Is time affected?**

**Thanks again!**

**To: Kevin**

**From: JKR**

**You are welcome Kevin. You must want him back if you ask this many questions. Ok, here we go:**

**The world is you because when you were brought into Earth, your world was created with you. Everything you've ever felt, lived through or dreamed changes you as it does this world. The world reflects your heart. **

**I know of two ways to enter another's world. One, you are invited in. Two, the World's Protector comes to you and tells you to believe and when you do, it will grant you access into the world. **

**According to my friends, time moved on in Earth after I left but when I did, My World's Protector told me the open portal from my world to Earth was causing the earth to storm and destroy itself if the portal stayed open too long. **

**Time runs differently in all worlds Kevin. It may be slower or faster depending on where your friend is. **

**Kevin, I cannot answer any more but know this:**

**It is easier to enter a world than it is to leave. **

**Wishing you luck. **

Wow he actually spoke to JKR without telling me and he got answers but I still couldn't really bring myself to believe.

"Joe, it fits. There was a massive freak storm the day Nick vanished, aka yesterday. Nick said one twilight can change him, which meant his world, Riptide, runs faster than ours!" Kevin ranted, trying to get me to understand what I didn't want too. It was so much easier thinking he was kidnapped or ran away instead of going to a whole new world where I may never see my little brother again…how could I believe that? "Katja must be his World's Protector and she said exactly what JKR said! We have to believe!"

I sighed. "Kev, I can't alright! I can't believe that I may never see Nick again because of my stupid mistakes! I can't believe he left us! How can you?" I asked, not caring for the new level of sorrow and hopelessness in my voice.

"I can because I want to help Nick."

* * *

_NICK'S POV-R TIME- 7PM (E TIME-11 PM)_

_ I held the King's sword, admiring it before I somehow fought with it. It was an enlarge version of the King's Dagger. Katja sat next to the King's bow, which I hadn't seen yet. The more I thought about fighting with these weapons, the more skeptical I became. How was I supposed to fight with these when I never had before? I could not wield this weapon any more than a fish could breathe air. _

"Nick," _Katja calmly said, reading my emotions again,_ "You can only wield the blade…"

"When I wish to wield it." _I finished and Katja nodded and it was so odd seeing her as a girl instead of a cat but she had told me she can shape shift, but she prefers the cat, but she had to train with me today as a girl._

_I took a calming breath, still not believing I spent the day getting to know my people and the city and learning, it all seemed like a blur. Stella would enjoy the clothes here and Macy would love the competitive sports of fencing and archery. Joe and Kevin can go screw themselves. _

_I focused back on the blade and I knew I could wield it and best any mortal who dared crossed sword with mine. I nodded to Katja and she raised the gate with a flick of her finger, watching me intensely. I can do this, this blade is mine to wield. My hand fit perfectly on the hilt and it more felt of an extension of my arm than a mere piece of silver. A shadow man thing stepped out, saw me, and charged. _

_I can do this, I can fight, I can win, I will win._

_I ducked under the swinging blade and jabbed forward, piercing through his heavy armor, my own light armor reflecting merrily in the dying light. This is so cool! The Shadow stepped back, feinting injury but I knew better, I hadn't hit it yet. _

_I will fight and I will win._

_It lunged forward, twisting its blade so it was nigh impossible to see but I knew where it was aiming and I knew how to move to strike my own. It retaliated with a short jab that I danced away from and it stumbled forward and I took the opening, loping off its head and it faded in the wind, the shadow's dying as if doused in light. _

_I did fight, I did win. _

_I looked to Katja, breathing hard but smiling and she nodded before picking up the bow and walking over to me, taking the sword. She said nothing as I put the quiver on my back and took hold of the weapon, admiring it like I did mine blade. _

_Perfectly curved with a silver stick Katja had called Amela, golden sharpened tips to stab enemies if need be. The string was as thin as a unicorn tail hair, which Katja told me that was exactly what it was. Wait…why did I have unicorns in this world? I blame Kevin. The bolts were made of the same type of wood; the feathers at the end were gold bordered leaves, one red, one gold, and one orange. The arrow heads were gold to match the ends of the bow. _

_Katja pointed to the far end of the coliseum we stood in and it adorned targets, some stationary some moving. _

_I can hold this bow. My aim will be true. No gust of wind can deter my bolts once they leave string and finger. _

_I notched an arrow, knowing exactly how to do it, knowledge awaking that I needn't know I had. Katja didn't bother from moving next to me. _

_Twang. Perfect hit on first target…Perfect hit on all targets. I pwn. _

"Become more power and ready my King, then shall your time to show be." _Katja told me and I nodded. I could wait to do battle with her and other warriors. But for now, time to dress back into the King attire Stella would freak about. My favorite part was the cape of leaves that literally looked like fire. I never wanted to leave, even with war on the horizon. After all, only from Light creates Darkness Bane. _

* * *

_KEVIN'S POV –E TIME 12 PM (R TIME-TWILIGHT)_

I understood why Joe didn't want to accept the fact Nick was gone and he may never come back, but that was why I believed. Nick needed us to show him that whatever he thought of us, it was wrong, and that this world is where he belongs, not Riptide. King or not, Nick did not belong there, he belonged here with family…

But what if he didn't want to leave? Was that what Mrs. Rowling meant when she said it was easier to get in then out?

* * *

_KATJA'S POV (TWILIGHT)_

_ The time for Darkness reign was almost upon this kingdom…and when the first move in this game of chess was made, it would already be too late. _

* * *

**Chibiyu: **_*puppy dog eyes* Please review? If you don't, Joe dies. Easy as that. Until Next Update. _


	5. The Final Disbelief

**Chibiyu: **_You all thought I would kill Joe in this chapter…ha…too early for a character death guys. Oh, is that a spoiler?_

**Nick: **_…I loath you_

**Chibiyu: **_I love you too. _

_…IF I OWNED JONAS AND DISNEY YOU WOULD I BE WRITING THIS? For the record I would be too busy hugging Nick. _

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()**KATJA'S POV (TWILIGHT)**_

**_The time for Darkness reign was almost upon this kingdom…and when the first move in this game of chess was made, it would already be too late. _**

* * *

_KATJA'S POV (R TIME-TWILIGHT) E TIME-12 pm_

_Tis still unseen, unheard, how my meddling affected the foreseen issue. I sent the message to Kevin in hopes of convincing Joe, posing as who I am not, creating a web of lies and acting as thousands of different people, only in the best interests of hope. Danger was painted, shrouded among the minds of the ignorant, attracting stronger than the poles of the earth, creating more strife, more problems. But knowing was of a danger as well…but with ignorance came no defense, with no defense came death. Shadows shifted in the horizon and in the hearts of all, ignorant or not, royalty or not, rich or poor, all carried the darkness and all faced it, were consumed by it, or obliterated it. Everyone but the ignorant. And sometimes the Creator, the King, hast also been deemed the Destroyer. _

* * *

_KEVIN'S POV_

Unknown to Joe, I knew it was really JKR talking to me and who made that website. I knew it was Katja, reaching out on risk to get Joe and me to believe. Who else would know all this and reveal it so easily? I understood Joe's side, why he didn't want to believe Katja and Nick himself, and truthfully, I didn't either. But Joe was going to have to accept this fact sooner or later and I hoped it was sooner because later would be too late.

"Kevin?" Joe questioned walking up to me, turning on all of the lights making taking a nap now impossible. "It feels like something…someone is watching us."

I looked around for the fourth time, seeing exactly what I did the first three times; nothing. But I felt it. I knew it was there…whatever _it _was. I flashed back to when Joe and I witnessed Nick hurling a dagger at something and I couldn't help but think the same something was with us, stalking us, at the very moment.

"Do you feel it?" Joe whispered and I nodded, not trusting my tongue while my heart was racing in fear. "Did you _see _that?!?"

* * *

_NICK'S POV-R TIME 8:02 PM (E TIME-12:02)_

"Do you feel it Katja?" _I whispered, absentmindedly fingering the sword at my hip._

"Aye. The feeling of Shadow's Swell."

"They are coming."

* * *

_JOE'S POV -12:02 pm_

I've been feeling the spine shivering, back of the neck hair raising, weight on the shoulders, feeling of someone watching me and yet every time I turned, nothing was. But as Kevin confirmed my fears, that nothing changed to a something. Suddenly, everything seemed so much more believable.

* * *

_KATJA'S POV (SAME TIME)_

_I felt them stir in worlds they aught not to be. I fled from the room, leaving a very confused King but right now, that didn't matter. Without Light there can be no Darkness Bane._

* * *

KEVIN'S POV (SAME TIME)

We watched it happen but it was more like a movie than real life. We watched red and gold eyes appear spontaneously in the shadows, we watched them move and grow into figures that could be described as man but more beast than human and we watched them all pull out glinting black swords, one of them limping from a dagger in its leg; Nick's Dagger.

"I believe now Kev." Joe whispered as we backed into the opposite wall, me pushing Joe behind me as the things advanced.

A bit too late for that Joe.

* * *

_NICK'S POV_

_Why did Katja run off like that? I watched her leave and shrugged, pulling out my guitar, figuring she had not normal business to attend to. Aw well, a single person cannot hold back a flood. _

* * *

_JOE'S POV_

Better late than never to believe I guess…but I didn't want to believe right before I died!!!!!!!!!!! The things, all three of them, raised their swords to Kevin's throat and I felt him shaking as he tried to shield me and my own heart thundered in my own terror. I lost Nick and now I could lose Kevin…no…

"Stay away from them!" A girl's voice shouted and Kevin jumped.

"Katja!" We both yelled and said girl nodded, her eyes filled with murder. "This is_ not _your place!" She yelled to the beasts that all turned and got ready to fight. Katja widened her stance and bit and growled, pulling a sword from her own back. To say we were surprised was an understatement. How could one 15 year old girl take on three _things _single handedly?

They all charged to her, us not moving in fear of being hacked to pieces but Katja jumped higher than any regular person could have and slashed down one one's head, the _thing _vanishing and leaving two more. One ran to her and all that we could hear was the sound of metal against metal and Kevin stiffened as the other one went over to us and grabbed him by the back of the neck, its sword at his throat. Katja saw, eyes widening, one and going off her sword and behind her, her skills not diminished and she hurled something through the air and the _thing _holding Kevin vaporized as the dagger embedded itself in its face. The last _thing _screeched as Katja rid of it and she turned to us, her face expecting and I looked at Kevin and he nodded.

"Wait…we can't go right now...what about mom and dad?" I asked, knowing them and Frankie came home tonight and they would freak if they came home to an empty house. Kevin wordlessly grabbed a note and hastily wrote everything down as Katja walked to Nick's windows and looked out, sword on her back again.

"There. I put everything in there and they won't believe it but at least they will rule out kidnapping." Kevin stated and I nodded. Katja looked to us.

"You need to know something before you enter Riptide." She whispered, walking over to us. "Your brother will not be pleased to see you." I nodded and Kevin looked saddened but he nodded as well. She held out her hands and we each grabbed one before all color and light faded from existence.

* * *

_NICK'S POV_

_I was bored with playing guitar so I went back out to the training ground and I was pleasantly surprised to see some warriors dueling with shadow beast who were drawn to this spot if summoned. My warriors bowed to me if they could and I smiled back and inclined my head, not wanting to expose my back when surrounded by the hateful enemies. _

"My liege!" _One yelled, approaching me and out of breath. _"A small army of them has infiltrated in the village!" _He yelled and everything stopped around me. No. _

"Organize and attack." _I whispered and yet everyone heard me, disposing of their training beast before following me to the stables, knowing foot would be too slow of a travel. _

* * *

KEVIN'S POV

Whoa. Everything was on fire here…well not literally but the colors of the leaves, the serenity, the terrified yells…wait…the terrified yells? Joe looked at me in confusion and we saw a larger than normal cat bound to the sound, yelling at us to follow but to stay out of sight. Wait…cats can talk? Oh! Nick told Katja his wasn't used to seeing her in the form of a girl so this must be her form in Riptide…Nick likes cats?

I ran after her, telling Joe to come on and he followed as I explained my Katja theory. He nodded and we stopped as Katja did, growling and she jumped forward, changing into a girl and drawing her sword.

"Stay here if you wish to live." She ordered and plunged head first into the smoke and shadows. We heard the fight and shouts and suddenly Katja screamed. "We need wind and light!" But no one can control the weath…what the? Wind gusted through the area, clearing the smoke and light lit up the darkest shadows as the sun came into view. Weird…and ever weirder with what we saw.

A group of maybe thirty knights dressed in light silver armor was attacking a force of forty shadow things. But I could not tell which side was winning. Villagers from all around both screamed and fought, with their own bows and daggers, but not nearly as equipped as the army warrior people, they were forced to stay away. What also was odd is that the war horses stood off to the side, rider less and fearless, kicking any enemy that came their way and allowing themselves to be rode away in safety but other than that, they were statues. Riptide is weird.

"KEVIN!" Joe shouted, tearing me out of my thoughts and I shouted out in surprise, ducking down just in time to see a black dagger soar above my head and embed itself in a tree trunk. We watched the tree almost instantly wither and die as black veins spread form the dagger and engulfed the poor tree. Poison. "Are you ok?" Joe asked, running over to me and I nodded but we didn't have Katja now so we soon wouldn't be.

Just as I predicted no less than five shadow _things _emerged from the bushes and trees, surrounding us and I think I screamed but mine was lost to Joe's. They all raised their sword to strike and they forced them down and I screamed bloody murder. But the swords never came.

I looked up to see arrows sticking out of three shadow _things _head and all I could see was that instead of feathers of plastic, the arrow ends were covered with leaves. The three _things_ that were hit vanished and the other two growled and lunged at our unseen savior.

"No way…" Joe whispered and His eyes got really big and he paled at who I could not see but I think I knew now. The _thing _moved and I could see who was attacking them and even though I was expecting it, my heart still stopped.

Adorning a fire leaf cape, a simple dark wood crown with edges encrusted in gold and sapphires and rubies, a simple black shirt and jeans, holding an elegant but simple sword in his right hand and a pointed tip bow in his left, murderous anger in his eyes was Nick. Facing both enemies, he used both weapons equally and skillfully, slashing at the same time and blocking every deadly blow until finally, the _things _both lunged to him and he smiled, finding his opening before stabbing them both without wavering and they vanished.

Nick did not look at us but wordlessly readied an arrow and fired into the fray, one after another, taking out a _thing _with each bolt. But more kept coming and Nick's arrows…wait…why weren't they running out? I heard a small shuffle behind me and Nick spun around, grabbing something from his belt and I forced Joe to the ground as he threw his dagger over our head and we looked to see another _thing _advancing almost soundlessly.

"Nick?" I whispered as he surveyed the brawl below, his bow back on his back, fingers tight around the sword hilt. He ignored me and walked over to the dead tree, put his hand on its bark, a look of pure menace on his face but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the look fading as the wind again picked up and leaves on the ground swirled around the trees roots. Nick suddenly smiled and looked up at the dead branches and I gasped as I saw black turn to brown and fire grow from wood. The tree had come back to life…too weird…and cool. "Nick?" I tried again but again he did not acknowledge us.

He lifted his hand from the tree and ran his fingers through his curls, not rejoining the fight or pulling his bow. And that was when I realized the fight was almost over, there was just one _thing _left…scratch that, no things left. Nick descended down the sloping hill and we followed, anxiety weighing with each step. What if coming here was a bad idea? Katja ran over and started talking lowly to Nick, not looking at us and Nick nodded once and whispered his answer before we entered the town and were swarmed with villagers, some afraid, some smiling, some looking unfazed. Nick looked at all the destroyed buildings, his face calm and then to the fire that engulfed a few structures and he sighed.

We watched everyone look to the sky and to my amazement, dark clouds came from nowhere and rain fell down, fighting the fires and while this was happening, the leaves swirled up in no wind and covered the damages on the houses and repaired them. The crowd cheered and smiled and bowed to nick, screaming their thanks but Nick just nodded and smiled.

"Today came sooner than foretold." Nick started and everything was silent, even the rain was unheard. "The Shadow's Swell is uprooting the peace but we mustn't let them dim out hearts. The duel ahead will be far from easy but banded together with courage and light, we can create Darkness Bane." He finished shortly and the crown went wild as everyone started cleaning debris and training right there. Nick smiled again before walking with Katja to the castle in the center of town. We entered and looked around in awe at the simple beauty and Nick walked over to the throne and went behind it to a balcony as Katja stopped in front of us.

"Wait here." She ordered and ran forward, meeting Nick and talking in a low voice. Nick seemed to be snapping at her and Katja looked calm but defiant. I knew this conversation was about us.

* * *

_KATJA'S POV_

_Here we go. _

"My King, I had to bring them." _I started, knowing Nick would be livid. _

"What possessed you to bring them here?" _Nick snapped, anger firing in his eyes and I felt the shadows grow and start empowering people's will as Nick's anger bested his. _

"The Shadow's were there Nick! They almost killed them!" _I snarled and Nick froze, looking at me in shock. But I still felt his anger bubbling and the darkness calling. Just as I predicted, it was too late. _

* * *

**Chibiyu: **_I couldn't get into the old speak today, sorry about that. And now that they are all in Riptide, I won't have to say the time anymore…except when I go back to earth time…aw well. Until Next Update!_


	6. The Final Light

**Chibiyu: **_Hi! I've been waiting so long to write this chapter and beyond it. _

**Nick: **_Not normally a good sign. _

**Chibiyu: **_For you? Nope. For my readers? Yup. _

_DO I LOOK LIKE I AM RICH AND AWESOME ENOUGH TO OWN JONAS??? Ok…DO I LOOK RICH ENOUGH TO OWN JONAS? Lol jk. ()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()**KATJA'S POV**_

**_ Here we go. _**

**"My King, I had to bring them." _I started, knowing Nick would be livid. _**

**"What possessed you to bring them here?" _Nick snapped, anger firing in his eyes and I felt the shadows grow and start empowering people's will as Nick's anger bested his. _**

**"The Shadow's were there Nick! They almost killed them!" _I snarled and Nick froze, looking at me in shock. But I still felt his anger bubbling and the darkness calling. Just as I predicted, it was too late. _**

* * *

_KATJA'S POV_

_ Something's aren't meant to break free from their restraints. But by bringing Joseph and Kevin into this world, the key has been given, and the lock…broken. Shrouds of Darkness fought against the dying Light as and anger in all's heart grew as with the sorrow. Darkness was not a physical enemy. Twas nary a threat until the moon cycles changed. But now, when the threat is housed in our King's own heart, it is very much a problem. And now it consumed everything as it became is descent to the castle, burning every Light away like a fire to wood. At this rate, even I would succumb to it. I already felt it knocking at the door of my heart, fingering the key. _

_But I could not let Darkness Bane be lost, as swaying their hold; one shred of Light must live on. If not in me, then somewhere inside anyone's heart would suffice for sanity to live on. But Darkness's hold is one no one can long resist. Not even me. _

_I turned to King Nick as he looked beyond his shoulder and growled at the sight before him. His two brothers. His growl was the battle cry for the Shadow's race, increasing in pace until the small city as surrounded. But he didn't see it. The Darkness was blinding him. _

_And that was when I felt it. Stronger than before from feeding off the anger that danced in his heart. I felt one by one, his people fall to it, aiding instead of fighting. I felt it grown and swirl inside of me and tip the balance out of even. I felt it unlock the door to my soul. I felt my evil side that every protector has and has to lock away, emerge and awaken. And she looked me behind the iron bars of my own mind. _

* * *

_NICK'S POV_

_ The Darkness spread to their domain? But how?_

"The fault is theirs, My Lord." _Katja whispered from somewhere behind, her hand going to my arm. _"I brought them here not to save them, but to have Light destroy them." _She sounded more like a snake than a cat or girl but her theory did make sense. But I wasn't convinced. I turned to look at her, noting the different hue of her once honey brown eyes but she could morph into a cat so I did not question the fact. But what I did question was the sudden advance of the Shadows that lingered outside my Kingdom's gate. _

"Ignore the cloud right now my Liege and think of the problem at hand." _Katja suggested and I tore my gaze form the balcony, again ignoring my brother's stares. _

"By bringing them here Katja, you allowed more Darkness to enter my land." _I accused and she smiled. _

"Tis true but only for the greater gain. With them smote by your power and Light, it will all be over." _She whispered, her words making more sense with each passing breath. _"This started this clouds ascent. They ignored and rejected what should be praised and loved._" She paused, sensing I was hesitating. _"Or hath thou forgotten?"_She waved her hand, wind blowing stronger know and leaves forming an image and image becoming reality. And anger took over my heart. _

* * *

_JOE'S POV_

We watched Nick and Katja converse quietly and grew confused when Katja waved her hands and something came into existence. Something Nick didn't like considering he clenched his hands and threw it off the balcony. He wheeled around, a growl on his face as well as rage in his eyes. Katja slowly turned, her own eyes dark chocolate instead of honey brown, making her look rather…menacing. But she wore a triumphant grin which did _not _put me at ease. And unseen by both of them, the Dark cloud had entered the city limits.

"Nick, please let us explain." Kevin started, sensing the danger. Nick walked over to his throne and sat, hands folded in his lap and Katja by his side, remaining impassive. To our surprise, Nick nodded and gestured for us to proceed.

"We were stupid and blind and we should have done something." I started but Kevin took over.

"But we didn't think you would run away from it! This isn't the answer Nick and I know this isn't good for you or helping you!" Kevin nearly yelled and Nick calmly surveyed him, but something flashed behind his eyes.

"I think I'm doing just fine…compared to what you've been doing." He whispered smoothly.

What have we been doing? Worrying and being blind and deaf. Not standing up for him. While he's been running a kingdom at war…huh…I can't tell which is better.

"Nick please try and understand our point of view. We know we should have seen it and heard it but we didn't and we are so very sorry about that." I started again before Kevin could interrupt me. "But Kevin is right. Come back with us and we will help you through this. Running away to your own world, as pleasant as it is, is not the answer. You have to face this Nick and we can face it together. We can save your life at home." I reasoned and Katja examined her nails and Nick chuckled.

"You think you're so persuasive, but I'm not giving up. Saving my life…it's not what you're doing." Nick interjected with a smirk that wasn't far from cold and dark.

"Nick, listen to us! Why did you leave?" Kevin asked and for some reason, that seemed to anger Nick.

"I won't justify the way I live my life." He growled and Katja smiled.

"But why? This isn't life Nick! This is fake! The real world is the real thing, the real experience!" Kevin tried again and Nick lost it and the room seemed to dim.

"Ha! I'm the one livin' it, feelin' it, tastin' it and you're just wasting your time! Trying to throw me a line when you're the one drowning!" He yelled and I actually took a step back as he stood and advanced, the leaves on his cape slowly fading to black.

"How can you say that Nick?" Kevin yelled, oblivious to the signs and my warning. "This world is at war and you still choose it over ours? Over the real thing?"

Nick suddenly smiled, but it was no less than evil and mean. "I like where I'm at on my back floating down in my own Riptide. The water is fine." Nick joked in all seriousness and Katja laughed lightly behind him.

I stepped in before Kevin got himself dismembered by our own brother. "Look Nick, its just this world can't be real. All of this has to be fake. You're going against everything you've lived for right now and it is scaring me! This whole world is…" I trailed off and Nick turned to me.

"I like to step on cracks; I go against the odds. You think my world is flat?" He questioned and Katja narrowed her eyes, hand going to scabbard.

"No Nick, of course not. And I am not asking you to justify your life and your actions. I just want to help you." I softly told him but I couldn't see if it did a thing. "Can't you remember those times?"

Nick suddenly tensed and looked down. "I remember when it used to be easy. I remember when it wasn't so hard…" He trailed off and Katja's smile grew.

His head jerked up suddenly, his glare intensified and I was too stunned by the change to speak. That was when I saw all of the leaves on his cape were poison black and the colors around us, once so vibrant, were dimmed. Was this what Katja meant when she told Kevin it would be too late?

The door behind us banged open and we turned to see four Shadow warriors walk in, Nick not going for any of his weapons and Katja stepped by his side.

"We wish for a treaty." The head whispered, a black crown glinting on his head as he held out his hand.

Don't take it Nick. Don't take it!

Nick reached out and took it without a second of thought. What was he doing.

"We are now your servants." The four bowed and Nick smiled a look in his eyes that I have never seen before.

"Good…" He said. "My first order is to take these two as prisoner. Do as you wish with them…but keep them alive. I want them as…entertainment for later."

* * *

_SANDY LUCAS'S POV_

Oh how nice.

I fingered the letter left by Kevin. The boys were with Macy and Stella, treating them to a weekend excursion. So cute!

_But unknown to Mrs. Lucas, Stella and Macy had no idea of this at all. _

* * *

_KEVIN'S POV_

I think it was a bad idea to provoke Nick. A very bad idea. Joe and I were being led by one of the Shadow things outside and I had an idea. I looked to Joe and he nodded, ready to risk everything. We both fought against the thing and I took its sword and accidently tripped. But I slashed it through its heart and we ran, leaving the sword.

The Village was now gray and filled with people glaring at us but they let us pass. We made it to the gate and saw three people running to the castle. So we kept running. I never thought I would be running _from _ my little brother in fear of my own life. But why was it that easy to get away?

Joe stopped next to me and leaned against a tree, panting but thinking.

"Maybe Nick was right…maybe we were wrong to leave." He whispered, his eyes darker than what I remembered. Wait…this Darkness could influence people…

So I did the only logical thing I could think of and I hit him, hard, on the face. He jumped and looked startled.

"Wh-? Thanks Kev." He whispered, walking again.

Ok, I can beat the Darkness with a slap…but how can I beat my own brother?

* * *

**Chibiyu: **_Sorry for all the typos and shortness I have no time. And yes, Nick's speech/responses are from the song Riptide by Sick Puppies which inspired this story as well. Until Next Update!_


	7. The Final Gossip

**Chibiyu: **_I realize this story is not a hit but I don't care in the slightest. It is kinda fun to write but next time, I will still with my signature angst…and a crack fic I have in mind for Halloween. Hehe. _

**Nick: **_Oh joy…_

_A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY RELIEVED THAT I DO NOT OWN JONAS_

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()**KEVIN'S POV**_

**So I did the only logical thing I could think of and I hit him, hard, on the face. He jumped and looked startled. **

**"Wh-? Thanks Kev." He whispered, walking again. **

**Ok, I can beat the Darkness with a slap…but how can I beat my own brother?**

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

**JOE'S POV**

How could Nick have done that? Ally himself with the Darkness and lead it? Make us…or attempt to make us prisoner? And why was I influenced by his darkness? What had caused all this to happen? I looked to Kevin as we sat in our hiding spot, shivering from the cold shadows and muted colors. The world seemed so alive before and now it was dead…and I couldn't help but think we caused it.

"What happened to Nick that made him like this?" I asked and Kevin suddenly snapped his fingers, ignoring my question.

"I got it! Joe, this Darkness isn't here as a random invader!" Kevin said excitedly, jumping to his feet. And this helped us how? "Think! This is Nick's world, his heart right? So this Darkness must be the darkness n his heart! All of his suppressed bitter feelings!"

I stood up slowly as well. "So when we came here…it made Nick's anger grow…"

"Thus feeding and growing the Darkness!" Kevin exclaimed. "So if we make Nick realize that and how sorry we both are and all that…"

"The Darkness will go away!" I finished, smiling.

"It won't be that easy." A voice from the bushes called. One girl stepped out from it and smiled at us. "You must be Joseph and Kevin." She looked behind her and smiled again. "I am Alisha and like the ones behind me, I received panic that Katja has been consumed. And we were right to come."

I starred dumbly at this girl. She looked liked she was seven years old. Her hair just covered her forehead black and her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Who are you?" I blurted out and she rolled her eyes.

"We all are Protectors of world's passed and we come when the need is great. And it's a good thing too. I've never seen a Darkness as thick as this."

Wait. We?

Alisha looked over her shoulder again and four others of all shapes, heritages, and sizes walked into view. They each looked grave as they surveyed the landscape.

"So complete…Nicholas must have had this growing all his life. Never showing emotions like anger and pain." One Spanish boy mused. I looked to Kevin, uncomfortable all of the sudden with this guy's knowledge of Nick. So what if he didn't show emotion that often? "I am Cose."

Another walked forward. An African America with straight and long black hair with equally dark eyes. "And I am Neeta. Your brother is in danger, as I am sure you know. We together must stop him before he kills himself by falling too deep into the Shadows of his Heart."

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

_NICK'S POV_

_ "_WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY ESCAPED?!?!?" _I roared to the Shadow warrior in front of me who cowered in fright. _"THEY WERE UNARMED WEAKLINGS! HOW IN THE NAME OF MIKE DID YOU LET THEM GET AWAY?!?!" 

_The poor excuse for a warrior blubbered in fright and begged for mercy. But I knew not the meaning of that word. I stood from the throne and thrust my sword into him without a single regret as he faded into nothing. Useless. _

_Katja pounced down, her black fur not standing out as much as the golden tips on her ears and tail. _"We must find them." _She whispered. _"Punish them for doing you wrong and pain." _My hand clenched around the hilt of my sword again. I could almost feel the pleasure of cutting their heads from their shoulders. I yearned for that feeling to become a reality. _

"Katja." _I called and she smiled. _"Bring the others that hath done wrong. I want them to live in their personal Hell." _She nodded and our laughs filled with cold hall. Oh revenge was a sweet sweet mistress. _

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

_KATJA'S POV_

_ Earth was a pathetic world filled with so much beautiful darkness and yet light still shone through. Pathetic and disgraceful. I stopped outside my first stop and smiled as I saw the boy walk outside and I pretended to tie my shoe. This would be too easy. _

_I lifted my head and smiled small and embarrassed and rather flirtatious and Henry looked around stupidly before figuring out I was smiling at him. He tentatively smiled back and I walked over to him. He probably never had a girl talk to him in his life. He was an ugly brat that ruined my Kings life. But now was the time for his revenge. _

"Hi." _I greeted feigning shyness and he smiled, more confident. _"I'm Autumn and I'm new here." _I added a little blush to my cheek for good measure and his ego exploded up. _

"Henry Mans." _He held out his hand and I wanted to take it and throw him over my shoulder. But no. I shook his hand and he didn't let go and I giggled. Nick so owed me. _"So little lady, where are you from? Your accent is gorgeous."

_I smiled at him. _"I'm from England." _He looked at me in shock. Yes he actually captured a girl and I was English. Yay for Henry. _"I moved here a week ago and umm…I've been meaning to…ask you…"

"Of course I will go out with you Autumn." _He finished pompously and I smiled huge, never feeling more revolted. _

"Really?" _My voice was high and excited. _"Can we go for a walk…now?" _For an answer, he pulled me down the sidewalk, our connected hands swinging and I REALLY wanted to barf. Oh Nicholas you SO owed me. _"Hey Henry?" _I called after a few moments of silence and he smiled down at me and I blushed. I was so good. _"Have you ever heard of Riptide?"

_He looked confused. _"Riptide? I know what _a _Riptide is. Is that what you meant dear?"

_Dear? I shook my head and smiled, letting my true feelings show and he cringed as my grip turned viselike and the world around him faded. _"No Henry. Riptide. IT's your own personal Hell."

_Huh. Who knew he screamed like a girl?_

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

_HENRY'S POV_

I should have known this hottie wouldn't have spoken to me normally, unless she was a freak or had good taste I mean. But…WHERE WAS I?!?!?!?!? This was Riptide? The colors were muted and the shadows dominate and I stood at the foot of a castle that gave me a really bad vibe.

"In." Autumn ordered and she pushed me roughly through the doors and I stumbled in.

She strode pass me and up to the throne like thing but the occupant was hidden in darkness. "I brought him as you wished. But you owe me."

The person chuckled and a _very _familiar voice sounded but it wasn't the same. It sent chills instead of laughs spiraling down my spine. "I know Katja. I was watching."

Katja? Odd name. "Henry, be a dear and come up here." She called and having nowhere else to go, I did.

And I screamed.

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

_KEVIN'S POV_

Ok I was not going to remember all of their names. No way. I mean yes there were only four of them but still…ok there was Alisha, Neeta, Cose…and…and…uh…

What was the last boys name? He walked over to us and then to the distance. Never speaking. SO Neeta did for him.

"His name is unknown. He doesn't speak and he doesn't need too. He is the best guy to have fight by your side for your brother." She answered my confusion and I was relieved. One less name to remember.

Joe squatted and picked something up form the ground and unfolded it. "This flew a long way." He mused before reading it and paling. "When I get my hands on that scumbag…" Joe growled and Alisha looked stern but I was confused. Joe thrust the paper into my face and I grabbed it quickly.

**_Joe and Kevin Lucas Reveal True feelings for 'Brother'_**

_What?_

'**_Henry Mans got insight of what Joe and Kevin think of their oh so 'dear brother' Nick Lucas. _**

**_Joe Lucas of the popular group JONAS told me, Henry, and I quote, "Our so called Brother Nicholas is kind of a drag. His lyrics are getting the same and more dull and his playing is always off beat. He is our brother, unfortunately for us, and we have tried to change him so he is…likeable…but…as you all can see…nothing we do is working."_**

**_I turned to Kevin for a comment and he was ready to give, comforting Joe all the while for their failure on Nick. "Nick is…boring and dull. He is way too serious and if our dad would let us, he would be out of the band. We don't need him anymore." _**

"I am going to murder hi-" A scream pierced through the night. One of shock and pain and one I wanted to cause. I looked to Joe fearfully and saw he had no color to his face.

"Nicholas got to him first." Cose told us. Joe growled.

"When I get my hands on my brother…"

"No!" Alisha shouted, cutting across Joe. "More anger will only make the Darkness grow. You are blood brothers; therefore his darkness can connect with you both easier than us. You must be careful!"

Nick never made this easy, did he?

Wait…if we are going up against Nick's brain…

Oh we are so screwed.

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

_JOE'S POV_

I just had a thought. We are going against out little brother, who happens to rule this world and is three points shy of a genius…

We are royally screwed.

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

_NICK'S POV_

_ Hehehehe. _

_Poor, confused, damned Henry. He never stood a chance against my wrath. And now he rotted forever in as my slave, doomed to suffer the pain he put me through on the pathetic earth. I smiled at the idea as I sat and Katja purred as I scratched behind her ear. The doors opened and we both straightened, the Generals walking in. They kneeled before me and I told them to speak._

"We come bearing bad news your Highness." _My older human general started before the Shadow took over. _

"Four Protectors entered your land." 

_What? _

"Tis nothing My Liege." _Katja whispered. "_I know the four and we can destroy them easily. Tis nothing to quake about." 

_If Katja says it can be done. I turned to them. _"Ready your army. Anyone who can wield a blade or bow." _They bowed and ran off. _"Now the tie for war is upon us. Let us fight."

"For our freedom."

"For our happiness."

"And for our Darkness." _We both finished, our vows echoing in the chamber, sealing our fate in war. _

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

_KATJA'S POV_

_ Alisha, Cose, Neeta and the nameless one. Well I should nary say nameless. I know it and he wishes I did not. But it shall be revealed when the time is upon us. As for now, I shall fight by Nicholas's side for everything he hath built and for the yearn for revenge housed in his heart. _

_I turned back into a girl and wielded my weapon, my blade. My king stood and did the same, his dagger gleaming on his belt, his bow on his back. The white and silver in each weapon now shimmered the darkest black, perfect for the King of Darkness. Perfect to reflect Nick's heart as my own. I put my sword out to him and he put his blade against mine, united by Darkness and by war. _

"Together we fight." _I stated and he shook his head. _

"No. Together we win."

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**KEVIN'S POV**

Six against a whole army. It was literally us against the world. But we could win. We had to win. For Light. For life. For Nick.

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**Chibiyu: **_This was really fun to write. Yeah now on to Jar Wars! Until Next Udate!_


	8. The Final Summons

**Chibiyu: **_We're in the neon lights,_

**Nick: **_It's just you and me together…wait…WHAT?_

**Chibiyu: **_You sang it. *Hugs*_

_IF I OWNED JONAS, NICK WOULD BE MINE…oh wait…haha_

_()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_**KEVIN'S POV**

** Six against a whole army. It was literally us against the world. But we could win. We had to win. For Light. For life. For Nick. **

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_KATJA'S POV_

_ Leaping over and under rocks and branches that were blackened dead from the extending hand of the shadows with a purpose housed in my heart, I raced against the dying of the light, to strike it down before it could reborn anew. _

"Katja?" _A voice over the horizon called and I slowed to a walk, my four paws moving strongly in the silence. I stopped and looked beyond to see my King leaning against a tree, the blessing of a smile masked over his dark eyes. _

"I come, anon." _I whispered back, knowing my Liege would hear though he be many a feet away. I walked over to him and bowed as low as a cat may bow. _"For what purpose have you left your castle with nary a sword on hip or bow on back?" _I boldly questioned him for his safety was critical. He may be the powerful King and manipulator of this world, but without a weapon in hand; he may be as weak as a newly hatched chick. _

_He smiled at my bold accusation and moved his hand, revealing a glinting dagger at his belt. _"Come now Katja, surely you think me higher of such a mistake?" _He lightly brushed off my minor embarrassment. _"I have orders for thee." _He whispered, the leaves instantly stopping their rustle and an animal that dared be in the presence of us, quieted. _"Good Katja, what must be done is what I shall only ask. The unwanted invaders, I have no eyes on them and therefore we are vulnerable. I need thou to be mine eyes." _He told me calmly. Only he could ask a cat to walk into a den of dogs so easily. And only a loyal cat would do it. _

"Shall I enter with a mask of night on my face or in the plain sight?" _I asked, knowing the main mission but not how to present myself. Sleuthing may be easy but tis hard when others shall know you stare. _

"Show yourself not at all. For if one hair falls amongst their midst, this land regains an ounce of the burning light." _King Nick answered swiftly and wisely, again causing my legs to bend in what I hoped looked like a bow. I watched him turn elegantly, his black leave cape dark as the shadows in his beating heart, his power and authority matched by none. _"Fail my sweet Katja, and I beseech you."

"I swear by your name and my being that I shan't fail."

_And then I myself turned a new purpose house in my heart as my paws took off again. Their hideout was easily enough found. It was the only place on this land where light flickered without dying, like a tall candle unhindered by a god's breath. _

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_JOE'S POV_

"You all sound so sure that only five of us and destroy _Nick's _entire army and vanquish all of this darkness. How in the name of Mike will we do that?" I asked rather panicky, missing how the unknown dude stiffened when I said the last sentence.

"Well," Neeta started, looking at the others, "We will need your help more than you will need ours. It is your brother and you know him best."

Alisha took over. "You will us to help you throughout this, shall we call it a quest? We can teach you things that can save you."

And now Cose. "But it will be dangerous. Nick will not be himself, as you have already seen. He will want revenge on _everyone _that has done him 'wrong,' Even you two."

"But why?" Kevin asked, looking around. "We didn't do anything to him!"

"Exactly Kev." I told the group. "He was waiting for us to notice, to do something about it. He shouldn't have had to tell us a thing and we failed him."

The four protectors nodded.

"In his eyes, you are the greatest enemies because you let him down. Because he was closest to you both." Neeta explained and then she suddenly silenced.

"Someone's here." Cose stated, a rather lethal looking bow appearing in his hands. "I hate how only medieval weapons work here." He growled, and the others rolled their eyes, not even bothering to arm themselves.

"Relax Cose, it's only Katja." Unknown name whispered but Cose looked far from relaxed.

"Relax? She can kill us with a single thought!" He exclaimed. Wait…she could?

Alisha laughed. "No _she _cannot. Nick can but not at the moment. Only when this world is without a shred of light can he kill without the use of weapons."

"And we won't let that happen!" Kevin and I both stated, determination backing our strong voices.

Neeta looked over to a tree. "Katja dear, show yourself."

Ad she did, walking out on two legs on a large tree branch above our heads. "Well, look here. I pass through on mission plan and what doth I see? A rebellion awaiting the word of war." She laughed, jumping down into our midst.

"A rebellion? Hardly Katja dear." Neeta told her calmly. "We just want our old, kind and generous King back."

"We don't want to overthrow Nick, only the darkness." Case told her and Katja rolled her eyes.

"But thou must know that the Darkness in rule is the King." She whispered, fingering her sheathed blade. She turned to us, her eyes going to the newspaper on the ground. She looked back up, fires of anger igniting. "How couldst thou do that to your own kin?" She sneered, turning away from us, having already kindled the charcoals of guilt.

Wait…charcoals of guilt? I have to get out of here before I turn into Katja or Nick. I shudder at the thought of speaking like that, however unintentionally. Joe Lucas does NOT speak in olden-ish tongue!

"Katja, you must see that this isn't Nick you're listening to. Not entirely. It's his own darkness manipulating him and in turn, you. Do you want to live in this darkness for eternity?" The Nameless dude said and Katja turned to him.

"Yes Mike, I do. This world is far more glorious than the Fall encrusted vision." She told him. His name was Mike? He was the Mike we all asked about? How in the name of Mike was that possible? This is really cool. I get to brag that I met _the _Mike. Or maybe not. Then I would have to explain how and where and…yeah, this was better off a secret.

"But Katja…" Alisha started but was quickly cut off by the cat/girl/thing.

"There are not buts in Riptide, only do." She walked over to me and handed me a note written on a heavy yellowish paper, sealed with what looked like blood. She watched me as I opened it.

**Joseph and Kevin**

**I know you don't agree with the life I lead so I decided, instead of war, we have a competition with…heavy stakes. Hear me out now brothers. **

**You don't like that I left and made my dull world a place shrouded in Darkness. I don't like that fact that you are here…and alive for that matter. So how about we make this dispute far less bloody? How about we make a deal? I want no unneeded blood shed and I know you see the odds are quite against you. 100,000 of my warriors against the 5 of you. I laugh at those odds. **

**So, brothers, I sent Katja to propose something far better than war. A duel to the bet, if you will. **

**If you win, which is doubtful, I will go back to your earth and release this world from the Darkness hold. **

**But if I win, you must leave and never come back. You must tell the world Nicholas Jerry Lucas is no more. Invent a fun way to kill me, I don't care. Just never come back to this place again. **

**Send word back with Katja. And I will warn you now, that if you decline, an army will be on your doorstep before the hours end. Choose wisely now. **

**~King Nicholas**

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**_NICK'S POV_**

****_Have they but one choice to consider or is war and death really that becoming of an idea for them? Would they rather have a chance of 'freeing' this land and myself or would they rather fall to my sword? Alas, they are my kin, as much as I despise that notation, so they shall not choose war, their immanent death. _

_No. Their choice is obvious in the light of this situation. Katja need not come back at all for me to know where their heart lies with this. They will come, willingly, a fight, willingly, and die, willingly. Thy have no chance in besting me or my warriors which shall first test them as Katja, upon hearing their answer will tell them. But my warriors of Shadow will not kill them. No, that job lies with I and I alone. And they know to not take a King's job unto themselves or they themselves will feel the wrath of mine blade. _

_Now, come Katja, led the two to their deaths. _

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_KEVIN'S POV_

Did Joe and I really have a choice? Nick knew we would rather have a chance, no matter how small, to save him. He knew that we would rather face him one on one then in war. He knew us too well. He made it so we couldn't deny him this. He really was an evil little genius. Well, no he wasn't evil until he killed the cute cloud shaped bunnies. Which reminds me, why would Nick have cloud shaped bunnies in his world anyway? Weird.

"Dost thou have a response?" Katja whispered, eyeing us with huge amounts hidden laughter. She too knew that we were in a hole. That we couldn't say no.

I looked to Joe who looked scared and then to the four protectors and they looked at me.

"If I may Katja, could we have a moment to discuss with without your presence?"

She nodded and ran into the trees.

"What do we do?"

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_KATJA'S POV_

_ My King was of course correct about their decision. He knew that I would be found in the spying job so he sent me a backup plan, which of course was golden. It was only a matter of time before Riptide no longer faced the burden of the light they brought. _

_I abided t their wish of letting them converse without my influence only because I knew their answer of yes was inevitable. I knew the four protectors would teach them everything they could in these few short minutes. But Joseph and Kevin were alone in every sense of the word once they said Yay. They may learn how to hold a blade but wielding it would be an issue. Especially if my King grew bored of the onslaught his warriors brought. _

_After all, who ever said this would be a fair fight?_

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NEETA'S POV

I don't see how the two brothers could deny this challenge. It was impossible the Nicholas knew that. He knew his brother's too well. He knew that they would rather face him one on one than chance it in war. And I also knew that our victory is far off. It may not be impossible because we have one thing Nicholas seemed to forget about. We had heart; we had light. At the moment, he had little and that candle burning lower was being concealed by the swirling darkness of his heart. But there was still a chance.

But could Nicholas do as he promised? Could he really banish this darkness on his own? It was unlikely but from what Joe and Kevin had told us, Nicholas wasn't an average human. But every loved one always said that when they heard the odds. It is hard to not doubt when I've seen countless fall because of false faith. My own world and Queen fell because of it. So now I traveled into other World's to help stop the demise of light. But it never worked. I pray this time is different.

"You both may be more susceptible to the Darkness's hold, but you are also more armed against it. Because you are related by blood, you have some module of control in this world as well." I started explaining and Alisha took over without a pause.

"Which means you both will be able to fight with the weapon's Nicholas's world provides."

Cose took over. "But how to manipulate the forces of this world, we know not."

"We have to find that out ourselves." Kevin finished, stealing the 'nameless' one's words. We all nodded.

"So…" Joe started after a second of silence. "How do we get weapons?"

I smiled and pulled out my two battle swords and handed them to the two. I didn't need them. Not here. Not ever again. If this worked, if Joe and Kevin somehow won, I would stay here and make sure nothing else became amiss. I would work with Katja and maybe, I would let Nicholas visit. But that all was unlikely. If Joe and Kevin didn't figure out how to manipulate this world's energy, all was lost.

"So, are we going to do this?" Joe shakily asked as he held the sword rather awkwardly. "I'd rather not fight my own brother but…"

"It's the only way to avoid war." Kevin whispered. "We have to do it Joe. I hate the idea too, but I see no other choice."

I watched Joe nodded and Kevin looked rather pale as he examined the simple silver weapon.

"Katja!" I called and the said girl ran back over, smiling. "They accept."

If possible, her smile grew larger. "As we knew you would. Now I am sure you must know about the warrior test before you each battle my King?" She asked, spinning her dagger around in her hand. "Judging by your astonished faces, I guess not." She laughed coldly. "Think of it as a warm up that all participants must endure, even the King." She walked in front of us and gestured us to follow her. "Come, King Nicholas is waiting."

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**Chibiyu: **_Rehearsing "Romeo and Juliet" and I am Juliet so that is why my Shakespearean speak is more fluent as of late. I like Shakespeare, deal with it. Until Next Update!_

CHECK OUT JiaMarieJonas SHE IS NEW ON THIS SITE AND INCREDIABLE!

2 more chapters!


	9. The Final Duel

**Chibiyu: **_Haha I am finally updating this! Woot! Lol Over the course of the next few days, I will be focusing on Nightstalkers and this story so I can finally finish them. Ok?_

**Nick: **_*fist pumps* Less Nick torture!_

_I DON'T OWN IT…if I did, Nick would hate me and I don't him to hate me…why does the underside of my chin itch?_

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**If possible, her smile grew larger. "As we knew you would. Now I am sure you must know about the warrior test before you each battle my King?" She asked, spinning her dagger around in her hand. "Judging by your astonished faces, I guess not." She laughed coldly. "Think of it as a warm up that all participants must endure, even the King." She walked in front of us and gestured us to follow her. "Come, King Nicholas is waiting."**

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_NICHOLAS'S POV_

_ Twas only a matter of daylight before Katja strode into my halls, the demons I have the heart to call my brothers at her feet. And with them, no doubt would come the other protectors that had already failed once with their own lands. So do they believe that ridding the Darkness in this world will fix their past deeds of destruction? No, to them, failure again is their only path. _

_I fingered my blade's hilt, feeling the growing anticipation as I knew my targets grew closer and closer. I could taste the end in the air. But it wasn't mine. No, the end was theirs. A King did not fail in his own legacy and world. Not when the King was a God. _

_This will be the one point where their parting will nary be a sweet sorrow but a joyous rebirth. For bringing with their parting, announces that I, the King, have won my land and the rite to live as such. The rebellion of the common Light will be blown out by Darkness wind and covered by Darkness hand. Soon it shall be me and me alone who stands tall amongst this kingdom, among these endless day and night. But see me too easy confident in the favor of my odds? See me too easily swayed by the thoughts of the assured victory? _

_Tis true I may be vain, but have I not the right? With a wave of mine hand can this world shift to my liking. With a single thought can mine enemies fall without a breath. There is nary a way that my duel can be won by my weak-hearted foes. Victory for the Light is as far off as the sun is to the moon. My brother's have nary a chance to best me. For when my blade matches theirs, they both shall be doomed. _

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_JOE'S POV _

"Are we marching to your deaths?" I whispered into Kevin's ear, well aware that the others could hear me.

"I hope not." He answered, looking down to the sword in his hand, his eyes alight with all of fear, disgust, worry and determination. "If we are, let's not go down without a fight." He told me and I nodded, having thought the same thing.

I always had said that I would die for one of my brothers, and I guess this counted but I didn't know. I never thought my brother would be the one killing. But in a way, this is all Kevin's and my fault. If hadn't been so blind to see how our brother was hurting, then none of this would have happened. But it was also Nick's fault because he didn't tell us or let us help him. And we needed to help him now. Which is why we were doing this…even if we were marching to our deaths.

But would Nick really kill us?

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_NICK'S POV_

"SLAVE!" _My summons echoed throughout the dark chamber as I sat tall upon my throne. I heard his footsteps dash towards me and he dropped onto his knees, having no choice but to. _

"Y-you c-called M-master?" _Poor pathetic Henry stuttered out, terrified of what I could do to him. And rightly so. The scars he now carried where proof of my fury. _

"You're a journalist." _I stated earning a small nod from thy boy sniveling at my feet. _"Write about the duel." _I ordered and dismissed him, a warrior taking his place. _

"My Liege." _The Shadow whispered as if bowed low. _"Watchers have confirmed Katja's return with your kin. They will arrive by sundown." 

_I allowed a small smile to show my amusement. _"Excellent. Come with me to the Arena. There is much to do."

_I stood without waiting for my minion, rather enjoying the sound of my dead leaf cape swishing out behind me. This day would mark the beginning of the end. _

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_KATJA'S POV_

_ The beginning of the end…such a phrase has never before made sense as it befell upon my ears, But now, as I draw closer and closer to the end of this worthless duel, I see what I could never before see. I understand all those words with all mine beating heart. This monumental moment marked the beginning of the final chapter of the endless and all consuming battle between the Light and Darkness. Between the King and rebels. And ending the doubt of the thickens of blood and water. This was the beginning of the end. But which end shall be chosen? Not a question so easily answered when prejudice is put behind oneself. But with the divine power my King's hands hold, there is no contest to as to who the victor of the final duel shall be. _

_I heard the swish as metal cut through air and I almost laughed as I realized the futile attempts of the brothers behind me. Try as they may to familiarize themselves with their blades, they had not a hope of besting the King. After all…I doubt they could slay their own brother…which is the only way for the Light to descend upon the Darkness and eternally banish it. Of course, King Nicholas knew that, which is why he sent this letter. It was more of a trap than they know. They were doomed from the instant they set foot in this land and try as they may to 'help,' they will fail. They will fall. _

"Ah… I see we will be graced by out humble King for the rest of the journey." _I announced, feeling his power as he approached and I gauged the easiness of his stride. He had nothing to fear, and so, he had no need for caution. _

"Wait…Nick is here?" _Joe asked, panic in his voice and I giggled at the rightness in his fear. _

"I am." _King Nicholas answered, walking towards us, a small smile gracing his lips. _"Surprised?" _He chuckled, crossing his arms and we stopped as he met us. _

"A little." _Kevin squeaked and Nick smiled softly, shaking his head. His eyes read one word; pathetic. _

"I still don't know how you are my brothers." _Nick joked, dropping the Riptide speak for the sake of this kin. But why, one not familiar with this world may ask. It is a common courteously to not bestow fear upon the hearts of ones about to die. _

_Joe looked to Kevin in no less than shock and confusion. _"Nick?" _He asked and the King looked over to him. _

"Hmm?" _Very informal King Nicholas…good to know you care for your image around your brothers. The brothers said nothing and Nick shrugged, gesturing for us to continue our march. I watched Nick put his thumbs in his pockets, his eyes darting around us, his mouth pursed in what seemed to be a scowl. He stopped and looked around, confusion painting his eyes large as one of his hands went to the sword on his hip. _

"What is it?" _I asked, not sensing anything but he could feel anything amiss and nothing went unnoticed. He held up a finger to silence me before turning to his brothers. _

"You came here alone?" _He asked his voice calm but we saw through the mask. Joe and Kevin nodded, looking worried and paranoid as they too peered over their shoulders. _"Then what…?" _King Nick asked no one and you could see the worry on his brow as well as the frustration that he knew not what walked his land. _"Katja…" _And he pointed to the trees to our left and I nodded, running and disappearing into the undergrowth, finally feeling the presence of something that ought not to be here. And then I heard it….and it attacked. _

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_KEVIN'S POV_

I held my sword tighter when Nick drew his, but he didn't turn on us. No, he just kept looking into the tree, trying to see what wasn't there. His face was calm but his eyes were a turmoil of fear, worry, frustration and anger. He didn't know what he heard…or however he knew it was there.

"Do you feel that?" He whispered, looking to the protectors, who nodded but they all looked uneasy, like this was something they've never felt before. "I don't like it." Nick turned his attention back to the trees. "I shouldn't have sent Katja in there alone." Why did he suddenly care? "This is bad."

I stepped closer to my brother and Kevin did the same. "What's bad?" Nick's eyes flickered to us and then back to the trees.

"The duel is off until this _thing _is taken care of." Nick avoided the question before slowing walking over to the woods, clutching his sword readily. I reached out and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him and he jumped, spun around, and growled. "You _dare _touch me?" He hissed and the shadows around us seemed to grow.

I put my hands in the air and took a step back. "Sorry!" Nick's eyes were filled with fury and he reached for his dagger. "Please don't!"

"No one touches m-"

A scream tore through his sentence, stopping him cold.

"KATJA!" He yelled before tearing off into the woods, not even bothering to wait for us.

"Nick!" We all yelled, running off after him. What was going on?

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_KATJA'S POV_

_ Not good. Not good. Not good. _

_I ran to the source of the feeling, the feeling I hated. The feeling that was making me talk in the mortal world lingo because I was so panicked. I can't describe the feeling either. It was like a heavy weight was resting in my stomach, like earthquakes were shaking my normally steady fingers, like my mind just knew the world was about to end. It was _that _kind of feeling. And it was NOT good. But I had to find the source, to warn King Nick because we both knew that this thing couldn't be ignored. That this thing wasn't nothing. _

_I neared the source, my skin crawling from the energy and hate the thing radiated of and I heard it growl. And then I saw it and I stopped dead in shock and screamed. _

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_JOE'S POV_

We no longer heard the thud of footsteps against the hard dirt earth or the swishing of our brother's leaf cape as he ran. Everything was still and silent except for our harsh panting and frantic footsteps as we called and searched for both Nick and Katja. But it seemed impossible.

"Look out Joe!" Kevin called and I was about to skid to a stop when I knocked straight into him and we both tumbled to the ground.

"Sorry!" I called out, picking Nick up and placing him back on his feet but Nick didn't respond.

"Do you feel that?" He whispered, his eyes unfocused and locked on the ground in front of his feet. He was pale and there ere obvious signs of a struggle on his face. "Joe…please tell me you feel that." Did he just call me Joe? I tried to feel whatever he was feeling, but the only thing I felt was the decreasing temperature. "Joe?" His voice was shaky and he met my gaze, terror filling his wide orbs and if the situation weren't so…unknown…then I would have smiled at the normal look in Nick's eyes. "Joe?" His voice was barely a whisper.

A growl sounded through the trees and Nick jumped, grabbing my hand like a life line. Cose stepped forward and peered into the trees.

"What the hell is that?"

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**Chibiyu: **_Supposed to be short. I finally updated this. Lol. Until Next (and last) update!_


	10. The Final Chapter

**Chibiyu: **_*smiles* And here it is! The Final Chapter! (yes bad pun intended)_

**Nick: **_…stick to angst, humor is not for you. _

**Chibiyu: **_I know…Doesn't mean I can't have fun with it though! _

_IF ANY OF YOU THINK I OWN JONAS…think again. _

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**A growl sounded through the trees and Nick jumped, grabbing my hand like a life line. Cose stepped forward and peered into the trees. **

**"What the hell is that?"**

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_KEVIN'S POV_

The fear on Nick's face was real as well as the shock on the four other protectors. A loud thud, like a footstep broke through the silence and Nick jumped again, this time clutching onto Joe's arm. And then the fear cleared from his eyes and understanding shone through.

"Oh shit." He whispered, dropping his sword. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"What is it?" We all asked in whispers but Nick didn't answer, he just continued whispering curse words, as if that could make it any better.

"Hey guys!" I screamed as the voice came from next to me and Katja smiled up at me, but it was strained. "I suggest you run now." She told us and all of us but Nick took a step back.

"Nick, come on!" Joe yelled, trying to pull his brother back as we heard the thing getting closer and closer.

Nick shook his head. "If we run, it will only be worse." He whispered, his voice trembling.

Neeta walked over to Katja and spoke a few words with her before her dark skin literally turned to the color of milk. "Are you sure?" She asked and Katja nodded.

"Katja…get my brothers out of here…" Nick ordered, his terror riding heavily on his voice. "Now!" Katja grabbed our hands and tried to pull us back.

"We aren't leaving you!" I shouted but Nick shook his head and turned to us, his eyes wide but determined.

"You don't have a choice." He paused, looking to everyone. "I'm sorry."

And then everything faded until there was nothing but black.

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_NICK'S POV_

_ Someone might look at this scene and wonder why I had the sudden change in heart. But even I didn't know. But as soon as I felt that sensation of something dark, something powerful, everything seemed to make itself clear. Now as I looked back, it was like I was looking through a shattered and dusty mirror, trying to make sense of everything around me. But now, the mirror was clean and repaired. Now I could think without guessing and without the hate I still felt, but was able to control. _

_I didn't want to face this alone but sometimes, something's had to be done by myself. Something's weren't worth dragging other people into to get hurt. And to do that, I had to be entirely alone…I can do this. I took in a deep breath and concentrated on the feeling of needing to be alone with this monster and I felt the world around me respond. I felt souls leaving, Henry going home without a single memory or scratch, the other people going to nowhere until this world was safe or if it fell…they would move on to another place. But at least I was certain that Joe and Kevin were safe. They were home. _

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_JOE'S POV_

My first thought when I opened my eyes was; color! And then it was: color?

I looked around and desperately looked back, wanting to see my brother, where he should be, but no. It was only Katja, Kevin and me. The other four were gone; probably back to their own worlds. This was so wrong!

"Katja!" I called and she looked over to me, shock on her face. "Can you get us back?"

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_NICK'S POV_

_ I refused to step down though the thing thundered through the trees and I almost felt its sickly breath against my colder than normal skin. But it was only to be expected. Everyone was gone; my world was dying…so in a way, part of me was dying. But I didn't care. I knew that if I didn't take a stand here and now, it would only fester, grow, and follow me if I ran. I had to stop it or be consumed by it where no one else could be harmed by it…by me. _

"You can't win." _It whispered in the wind and I repressed a shudder. I heard its footsteps coming closer and closer and then I saw it's eyes through a break in the leaves. _"So why even try?"

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_KEVIN'S POV_

"I can't…" Katja whispered sounding defeated as she looked to her hands. "He sealed it. It's only him now…"I starred at the distraught girl in shock. "Guys I am so sorry! For everything!" She sat on the ground, the long yellow grass hiding her small frame. "This was the field Nick first found Riptide." She told us, rambling, trying to delay the interrogation.

"Katja, it's ok." Joe told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We don't blame you…entirely."

"Yeah," I added in after smacking the back of Joe's head. "It's not your fault, it's ours. We should have helped Nick.

"And I should have let you in." We all jumped and saw Nick smiling at us as he stood from the tall grass. "I'm sorry guys." _()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()_

_NICK'S POV_

_ I starred into the face of my enemy and I refused to back down._

"Oh, still fighting me I see?" _He whispered, the temperature dropping ten more degrees and this time, I had to shiver. _"Just barely." _He smiled to me, walking around me looking me up and down. _"So weak…thinking that love and light can save you…pathetic."

"You'd be surprised." _I managed to whisper back and he smiled at me, the trees now growing icicles instead of ice. I came to realize as his hand rested on my shoulder that ice was covering my hands now as I stood, trying to hang onto my last defenses, but with them gone, it was hard. _

"Forget them Nicky, Joe and Kevin never loved you. They knew about your problems at home and school. They knew that Stella thought you were losing talent and wouldn't rise again. They knew you turned down Macy for' 'her own good.' They knew it all." _He sneered into my ear. _

"No, they didn't. I kept it from them." _I whispered, trying to believe myself but it was hard with his words swirling around me, so calm and so persuasive. _

"They knew. That interview with Henry…it was real…" _He spoke, his voice echoing loudly, sounding out of place in the now frozen and black wasteland that was my beautiful world. But no. I let him in. I let him manipulate me and this is the price I had to pay. But now I had to stop him. I had too…_

"But you can't." _He laughed, his dark eyes looking into mine and I saw this confidence, his laughter. _"And deep down, you know it too."

_I can…I know I can. _

"You can't."

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_KEVIN'S POV_

This seemed too good to be true. Nick standing thee, brushing off his sleeves and walking towards us, his face inscribed in sorrow and yet, he seemed proud.

"Nick?" I asked as he made his way towards us. He nodded to his feet.

"I'm sorry I made you leave and that I ruined everything and hurt you and-" Joe cut him off, hugging him tightly and I joined a second later. But Katja was eyeing Nick oddly. And then she shivered, drawing her arms around her tightly and her lips turned blue.

"Katja?" Joe and I left go of Nick quickly and knelt down to her, hugging her and trying to warm her up. "What is going on?"

I looked to Nick and frowned as he just stood, there, watching the girl literally freeze to death. "Nick! Do something!" I ordered but he smiled.

"Why?"

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_NICK'S POV_

_ His hand dropped from my shoulder and I drew my arms around myself, trying in vain to keep out the cold he brought. _

"Cold?" _He joked, kicking a small tree and ice rained down, some scraping my exposed skin, but I didn't feel the pain. I was too numb. _"You know who I am?"_I nodded, looking into the pale skin face, going to the dark curly hair and the smug grin. _"I am you…the better half…"

"T-the ev-evil o-one." _I stuttered, trying to hold in everything but I couldn't. _

_He laughed darkly, turning his back to me. _"Evil? No, dark maybe. This happens to everyone who lets their hate eat them like you have. I am too strong for you, just like everyone else's darkness." _He explained. _"How do you think Alisha, Neeta, Cose and Mike lost their worlds and world Kings and Queens." _He turned back to me. _"And now you shall fall too."

"S-so w-what ha-happens t-to y-you?" _I forced out between chattering teeth as I ignored the growing ice on my world and myself. Think of the ones you love. Love is the opposite of hate…and happiness…how can I be happy now?_

"I live…and move on to another world…get it?" _He smiled, hugging me but I couldn't move away, my feet were frozen to the ground. _

"N-no…" _That was all I could say. I was too cold to even think now. So if my world died…I died? Or did I die and then my world? My brain is cold…hahaha brain freeze…I am pathetic. _

"Yes, yes you are." _The dark side mocked and it made sense he knew what I was thinking, since he was me. But I couldn't let him win. I couldn't. _

"You have no choice."

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_KATJA'S POV_

_ This seemed wrong…so cold…why? Riptide…what was going on? I closed my eyes, feeling the brother's desperate attempts to warm me. But I knew it was futile. If Riptide was dying in the ice of Nick's heart, then so would Nick and I. We were both attached to the world just as he was this one. If Riptide died, we both followed it into nothing. _

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_JOE'S POV_

"What do you mean, 'why?" I yelled at my brother and he laughed and shrugged walking away.

"Oh well, I didn't need this facade anyway." Nick laughed, tuning back to us. "Notice anything different about me?"

Same curls, same pale skin, same freckles, same voice…but different eyes. They were the same in everything but the emotions swirling behind them. Hate, anger, coldness was all I could see.

"That's right brothers." He laughed spreading his arms, wind blowing around us. "I am not the Nick you love. But then again…did you really love him?" He mused aloud, crossing his arms and looking to the sky. "You left him alone to die, you left him alone to deal with everything bad that was happening to him…you even accepted a duel to the death." He laughed and the hair on the back of my neck stood up and I tried not to shiver as a cold wind blasted in our face. "That doesn't sound like love to me."

I crossed my arms and Kevin glared, giving up hugging Katja who had stood somehow in her shivering.

"What have you done to Nick?" She demanded her voice quite strong for her condition.

'Nick' laughed. "I only showed him how strong his hate and how cold his anger was…and he suffered from the consequence of falling into it. Of letting me take over and destroy him." He laughed, bellowing loud and insanely. "Oh, how funny. But enough talk. This world is mine. Those who dared cross me and hate me and make my life miserable shall freeze in the depth of my own revenge. And everyone in between shall suffer as well. Why not spread the hate?" He smiled, looking to the sky and dark clouds rolled in out of nowhere, the sun completely disappearing and everything growing colder. "After all…its better to never love than to love and lose."

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_NICK'S POV_

_ I watched him leave, his laugh still echoing throughout the land. I couldn't move; I was too cold. I didn't deserve this and neither did anyone who at home. It was my fault Joe and Kevin and Katja and everyone on earth and in Riptide had to suffer from my hate and anger. And now I had to save them from it all, but how? _

_It's no use…I can't do this. _

_I'm sorry Joe and Kevin and everyone. I can't do it. I closed my eyes, waiting for it all to just end in my sorrow. I failed to see the small flower poking through the ice covered ground. _

_I'm sorry…I failed. _

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_KEVIN'S POV_

Snow and hail started falling from the clouds, in summer, which was weird enough, but it was weirder knowing that our brother…wait…was he? Anyway, that a person was doing this.

"What are you doing?" Joe yelled at the dude making it snow but he just laughed.

"I think I already covered that." He stated, his voice laughing as the snow covered the ground at an unnatural speed. "Now…feel my wraith…feel the _hate_."

Suddenly everything around me froze and died before my eyes, the grass wilting and the school in the building shimmering with ice. I shivered as it felt like the ice was inside me, freezing my very blood. Is this what Nick was feeling? What Katja was feeling?

Wait…if Nick's world was frozen…what happened to the cloud shaped bunnies?

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_KATJA'S POV_

_ This can't be it. This can't be the final chapter for both Riptide and the Earth, this can't be it! I fell to me knees, shivering uncontrollably. We can't hold out much longer under the chilling influence of the hate that lies in everyone's hearts. Because one heart can't do this. Nick's hate was festering inside everyone and drawing power and freezing the world until the warmth of love had no hold on anything. It wasn't easy to beat hate…in fact, most of the time, it was impossible. But thank goodness Nick isn't a girl. Because we all knew that Hell hath no fury like a women's scorn. _

"Do you feel it?" _Nick's hate asked as he smiled to us with no real joy or humor. _"Do you feel the hate's cold breath freezing your veins? Do you feel how my Light's death is bringing more anger and Darkness to this world?" _He spread his arms insanely, twirling in the foot of snow. _"And why stop here? Once this world is frozen and burning in Hell, I should move onto another…and another…no one can stop me!"

_One person can…but not alone. But was he still alive? How could he be…Riptide would be colder than the ice age now and he would be the first to freeze, first to die. But I would have died as well…so hope lives on. I hope. _

"Haha, I'm freezing the world, I'm freezing the world!" _Nick's Darkness laughed and sang, jumping around like an idiot and smiling like a kid with an ice cream cone. _"Don't like the cold my brother?" _He joked, poking Joe in the shoulder and jumping over to Kevin, laughing in his face. _"Too bad! It will only get colder…and colder…and…WHY THE HELL IS IT NOT GETTING COLDER?"

"That would be me." _We all turned, shivering turning to shuddering from the cold but we all managed to drop our jaw. _

"Nick!" _We all yelled and he nodded to us, eyes on his Darkness._

"I'm sorry guys. I should have just spoken to you instead of running away." _He told us, looking to his feet before raising his gaze again. We didn't answer; we didn't know what to say. _"I was no less than a jerk and I need to make it right." _He calmly stated, his Dark growling, hand going to his sword and Nick smiled softly, making no move to his nonexistent weapons. _

_At least the cold has stopped getting colder. _

"You." _The Dark growled and Nick smiled and I saw the plan in his eyes but I couldn't read it. _

"Me." _And then Nick ran, full speed to the Dark, grabbing him by his shoulders and hitting the snow with a poof. I stood on my tip toes and then flung myself into the snow when a sword swished through the air, right where my head would have been. I stood to see Joe taking a step back from a dagger and Kevin kicking away the bow and bolts. _

_I grabbed Joe and Kevin and pulled them back as Nick stood and brushed off the snow, his face still calm and as his Dark growled when he discovered he was weaponless. But he could still control things here…could Nick? He seemed to be thinking along the same lines but he didn't do anything. He had another plan. He turned his back to his Dark and walked to his brothers, his face hardening with every step and I realized that even though he was sorry, this was still hard for him. _

_Joe and Kevin ran the rest of their way and hugged him tightly, Nick burrowing into their embrace. _

"Sniveling into the shoulders that reject you? Pathetic." _Dark Nick laughed, kicking up the snow and watching the brothers in disgust. And then he turned his gaze to me. And smiled. _"Idea alert!"

"You won't hurt them!" _Nick yelled, pulling out of the hug. _

_Dark laughed. _"No…but they can hurt you!"

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**Chibiyu: **_Hahah. I never said there wouldn't be an epilogue…or if I did, I lied. Until next (and now last) Update!_


	11. The Epilogue

**Chibiyu: **_Ok truth time, there wasn't supposed to be an epilogue but I liked that as a cliff hanger. Haha. _

**Nick: **_Make me suffer more huh? _

**Chibiyu: **_Until I figure out what to do with you anyway. _

_YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT I DON'T OWN IT!_

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** "You won't hurt them!" _Nick yelled, pulling out of the hug. _**

**_Dark laughed. _"No…but they _can_ hurt you!" **

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_NICK'S POV_

_ What? No…he wouldn't…of course he…I…whatever it was, would! It was hatred, darkness, anger, or in other words pure evil. It was all of the feelings that I let fester, that I ignored until they manipulated me and the power I held until it could breathe on it's on. In short, become real. Everything I felt was connected to it though. Because it couldn't fully live with the Light emotions I held hindering it, pulling it back and trying to stop it. So now he was going to…oh crap. _

_I stepped in front of my brothers in a futile attempt to shield them from what was about to happen. My Darkness laughed and shook his head. _

"There is no shielding them from it…" _He happily sang, jumping around like a maniac. I watched the sun move behind a dark cloud and everything seemed to dim in color. I tried to stop it, holding onto my feelings of love and sorrow and forgiveness, but it didn't work. He was right, only they could shield themselves from it. I am doomed. _

_No, have faith in Joe and Kevin and Katja…have faith in Neeta, Cose, Mike, and Alisha. They will be back as soon as they find it…please hurry. I can last against my own hate and anger for awhile but I never believed he would try and influence my brothers and friend. This was all wrong. I was stupid to not expect it. But I could do nothing to prevent it, so I accept it. Or at least, I have to try because every negative thought I have will only feed the cold. _

_I turned to face the three and tried to ready myself for anything. I lifted my gaze and flinched as a hand smacked my cheek, hard. I stumbled a step back, holding my left cheek, starring at Joe, hurt._

"Ow! Why did you do that?" _I asked and Joe looked at his hand, horrified. _"Wait…you're not being affected?"

"I thought you were!" _Joe exclaimed the look of horror never leaving and his voice was fats and high as he tried to explain. _"I started being influenced by it in Riptide and Kevin slapped me and then I thought you were so I slapped you and I'm so sorry!" _Joe finished in a single breath and I just starred at him. _

"Did you have to do it so hard?" _I asked after a moment and Joe looked down to his feet, Kevin patting him on the back. _"It's fine Joe." _And then I felt something cold resting against the back of my neck. _

"No Nicholas…its not." _I forgot about Katja. _

"She's right Nick…" _Kevin whispered and I saw both of my brothers put their forgotten weapons on my neck and chest. Oh crap….why did they have to be good actors? Where were Neeta, Cose, Mike, and Alisha? I was in trouble. _

"Yes you are Nick…especially since it was all an act before…"_Kevin whispered, Katja giggling behind me._

"We knew everything Nick, we only pretended not too. We knew about your horror's at school, we actually gave the interview to Henry, it wasn't fake."

_Yes it was. He was just trying to get me sad, angry, anything to feed his power. _

"We know why Stella thinks you're washed up, because you are…writer's block and stupid, shallow songs about nothing…pathetic." _Kevin whispered and I forced myself to remain calm and try to ignore him. _

"And Macy? You ruined that. She thought you were a god, she told Stella and you turned her down, the one person that could make it all better, and you pushed her away because….why?"

"She deserves more than me." _I whispered, anger breaking through and my Dark laughing. _

"Never underestimate my power…" _My Dark sneered walked over to me and ruffling Joe's hair and slapping Kevin's cheek. _

"Don't touch them" _I growled, forgetting to stay calm. _

_He smiled. _"Oh, watch your tone Nicky. Or one of them just….might….slip." _I felt Katja's sword scratch the back of my neck and I winced but didn't let a whimper pass my lips. I felt the warm blood stain my shirt but I didn't care. I had to stay calm and stay alive. But I can only shield myself…how can I save them? My Dark laughed and flicked my nose and hit my cheek, much like Joe…did…before…wait._

_I reached up and quickly smacked Joe in the face, hard. He flinched back, dropping the sword at my neck and looked around, his face turning from confusion to shock. _

"Smack him!" _I yelled, unable to move more in fear of the two swords now bringing blood to both sides of my neck. Joe jumped and smacked Kevin hard, saying _"Pay back" _And Kevin had to same reaction. But before I could move away from Katja, my Dark forced me away form her, taking his own sword and pressing the edge to my neck, holding me from moving. The fear was evident on my brother's faces and Katja just blinked, dropping her sword and looking at us with an unreadable expression. _

"Does anyone else find this a little strange?" _She asked and they nodded. She took a step towards us and the sword dug into my skin, not yet breaking it but I knew it was only a matter of time. _

"Don't move…or I get his blood on my sword." _My Dark hissed and they all stopped, impersonating statutes. _

"What do we do?" _Kevin whispered and Joe shook his head and Katja bit her lip. _

"Nothing." _A new voice answered and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I been holding. _

"About time." _There was no hissing the relief in my voice. _

"Sorry, it took a minute and…it's rather obvious about what to do." _Neeta said, walking over to us and stopping, all of them eyeing the scene with interest. _"I see we could have come sooner." _I raised my eye brows to them and Alisha laughed. _

"So what do I do?" _I asked, feeling my skin break. _

"Yes..tell him…for it will be the last thing he hears." _My dark sneered and Mike rolled his eyes. _

"Banish him from this world." _Cose answered evenly and my eyes. That was it? Are you kidding me? Why was it so…simple…Of course! I always over think things so I look over the simple details! In order to stop my Dark, it had to be so amazingly obvious that I would over look it and never think of it! Being a genius is hard work. Wait…again, it made more sense…Only from Light creates Darkness Bane and without Light there can be no Darkness Bane. So because I am the Light, I have to power to banish it from this world, but of course, he will still be in me but he can't take form…huh. So…I have to mean it. _

_I blinked and swallowed pass the pain in my neck as the sword kept digging deeper. I looked to my brothers, who were looking at me in fright, to Katja, who was paling and her own blood was falling down her neck and finally to the four protectors, who each looked like they were praying that I could win where they failed. I won't do this for me, which is why the others failed…I think. I will do it for them. Because this Darkness was hurting them and scaring them more than it was me. Because it was _me _that was causing it so I was scaring them. So for them…_

"I banish you." _I whispered and he stiffened. I felt him trying to push the sword in deeper to kill me but he couldn't. _"I banish you." _I whispered again and he growled._

"I won't leave…this world." _He growled and I had to smile through the pain. _

"I know…you will always be here…but not in physical form. I banish you." _And suddenly and very anticlimactically, the sword fell from my neck and nothing was holding me. I stumbled forward, hand going to neck, turning around and seeing nothing. Of course it had to be that easy because I _always _overcomplicated things so for something to be this simple was not like me. So it made complete sense that this was the only way…the way I wouldn't think of by myself._

"Nick!" _My brothers yelled, running over to me and hugging me tightly. _"Are you ok?" _I nodded, not exactly trusting myself to speak at the moment. Sure, while it happened I had tried to act calm, but truthfully, I was terrified. Having a sword to your throat and digging in deeper each second is not something I want to experience again. _

"Holy crap…" _I whispered but it was barely heard over the thundering of my heart. I felt my brothers hug me tighter from behind and I felt their hearts pounding as well. _

"Nick…only you would make everything so complicated and make the one thing that matters so simple that no one would ever figure it out." _Joe shakily joked and I nodded, agreeing 100 percent. _

"So what now?" _Kevin whispered and I knew the answer but I didn't want to face it right now. _

"I think I know…" _Joe whispered, letting me go and walking in front of me and I met his gaze. I saw the fear but that was fading. Sorrow was the dominant emotion now and I knew I would have to face this now instead of putting it off…look where that got me in the first place. _"Nick, we are so sorry that we didn't see it…you put your faith in us to see it without your help and to stop it or help you through it and we failed. We let you think we didn't care but we do! We are so sorry." _I looked over to Kevin and saw Joe's emotions mirrors on his. _

"I know." _I whispered, putting my fists into my pockets. _"And I am sorry I didn't say anything. I should have instead of just waiting for you to see…I should have said something." _I looked to my feet, unable to meet their gazes. _"It's my fault all of this happened."

"No." _I was startled by Kevin's harsh tone. _"No, its wasn't. We should have been more attentive to your life, you shouldn't have _had _to say anything…but when we did see, you still chose to remain silent…so how about…we split the blame?" _He ended with a sheepish smile that brought one to my face as he held out his hand. He had a point. Not one brother could be blamed here. _

"Deal." _I shook both my brother's hands and hugged them again, briefly, because hugging was not my thing. _

"You did what countless others failed at…but now you have a choice to make." _Katja whispered the other four behind her nodding solemnly. _

"I'm staying here." _I told them, finality in my voice and they all smiled and nodded. _"Keep Riptide safe Katja."

_She smiled and walked over to me and shook my hand. _"You keep your heart safe." _And then they all vanished, one to my world and four to protecting others. _

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_JOE'S POV_

As soon as we got Nick home, Kevin and I went on a little…mission. I pounded on a door and smiled when I saw who opened it.

"Hello Henry…"

Like I said before, we were going to fix this.

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_NICK'S POV_

_ I watched my brothers leave the house and I couldn't help but smile because I knew they were going to take care of some…things. Thanks that revolved around Henry and others…things about me. I was so lucky to have such great older brothers watching out for me. I went back to strumming my guitar, thinking to Macy and the date I had with her tonight. Well it wasn't a date per say, more like something to patch things up between us. And once Macy and I repaired our friendship, Stella's would automatically follow. _

"Nick!" _I jumped and looked up, smiling at the girl with curly hair as she waltzed into my room and bowed elegantly. _"I've been thinking…and it's not right to close off his world from a King…" _She smiled, her eyes sparkling mischievously. _"So I…bent…a few rules." _I shook my head, smiling at her boldness and lack of appreciation for the stupid rules. She held out a red leaf. _"Just drop me a leaf if you want to come and feel like royalty."

_I took it. _"I feel like royalty here, with my brothers…but if I want a change of scenery…I'll keep in touch."

"You'd better…my King."

_Katja smiled and laughed before turning and vanishing, the sound of leaves singing in the wind following her. I wanted to go with her, I really did, but my place was here. It always was here. It just took me awhile to see it._

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**Chibiyu: **_And it's finally over! Thank you guys! Silver, because your stories made this one possible…This story is eternally dedicated to the one that always inspires me and helps me live this dream of being a writer; Silvereyed Angel. I love you girl. Until Next Stories Update!_


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